The Manu Tuilagi Injury Report Is In And It’s Not Good

Manu Tuilagi is set to be out of action for six to nine months with a cruciate ligament injury.

The 24-year-old powerful Leicester centre had just been recalled to England’s training squad on Saturday when, the following day, he suffered this latest setback in his already injury ravaged career.

It was just the seventh minute of the Tigers’ Aviva Premiership encounter with Saracens at Welford Road when Tuilagi made a powerful carry down the right, but when he was tackled, he stayed down in clear pain, holding his right leg.

Having been treated on the pitch for several minutes by the Leicester physios, he was helped from the field. While the initial good news was that it wasn’t a recurrence of the severe groin issue which has troubled him in recent years, further examination has brought bad news of a different kind.

This latest setback comes as a major blow to Leicester who seemingly finally had their €500,000 a year centre back in action and at his best.