England rugby

The midfielder’s career at Test level in union was shattered by the fallout from an alleged altercation in Italy with Mike Brown during a pre-World Cup training camp.

Despite being a regular under Eddie Jones and also featuring for the Lions in their drawn Test series versus the All Blacks in 2017, Te’o was cut loose by England for the finals and he spent some month at Toulon in the Top 14 before linking up with the Sunwolves ahead of the 2020 Super Rugby season. 

It was during the World Cup in Japan – at a time when the English kit was enjoying record sales in a run to the tournament final – that speculation about the deal first emerged in the Daily Mail suggesting Umbro would beat adidas to the punch. That is what has now transpired.

The Samoan-born 28-year-old claimed the victory with a comfortable winning margin of 62 percent on RugbyPass‘ Facebook and Instagram accounts as part of the Straight 8 Fan Vote campaign to determine the best player on the planet in each position.

Tuilagi and Davies were left as the last two players standing in the third and final round of the knockout bracket after having dispatched some household names in the prior two rounds.

The prop has been a key figure under Jones, helping England to reach the World Cup final last year.

Jones, who took over as head coach in 2015, signed a new deal earlier this month which will keep him in the role until the end of the next World Cup in 2023. Vunipola believes Jones allows his players to play their natural game and that he is the perfect man to lead the side forward.

The RFU is facing revenue losses in the region of £45-50million over the next 18 months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Discussions are being held with Jones and his coaching assistants over a reduction in salary, the PA news agency understands.

Jones is the highest paid coach in international rugby, earning in the region of £750,000 per year.

The 60-year-old’s current deal expires in July 2021 and as yet there has been no move to extend his contract until the next World Cup in 2023.

Following a virtual board meeting on Wednesday of the governing body running the game in England, CEO Bill Sweeney issued a letter outlining how they hope to tackle the crisis that led to the termination of the 2019/20 season last Friday for all levels of the game below the Gallagher Premiership.

“I am writing to advise you of the actions that have been agreed to offer a support package directly funded from the RFU worth £7m to provide support for community clubs in England,” he said. 

England centre Tuilagi also appeared before an independent Disciplinary Committee in Dublin having received a red card in the match on 7 March in Twickenham. The red card was issued for an infringement of Law 9.16 (dangerous charge) when, in the 75th minute of the match, he tackled the Wales No.14, George North.

Tuilagi accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but did not accept that it warranted a red card.

Tuilagi lasted just 15 minutes against the French before being removed from the action.

There was no obvious incident leading to the injury and many were left questioning how fit the centre was coming into the game.

The fact that England head coach Eddie Jones had picked centres on the bench seemed to confirm for many that Tuilagi wasn’t fit coming into the game.

Both Jonathan Joseph and Ollie Devoto were named on the bench, suggesting Jones was expecting that Tuilagi wasn’t likely to finish the match.

The Guardian reports England have been fined a four-figure sum for breaching World Rugby regulations, which say opponents must not cross the halfway line while the challenge is being performed. At least six England players could be seen in television coverage breaking that rule.

The Guardian added the fine is less than the one France received in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final. They were made to pay NZ$5000 for their v-shaped formation, which also went over the halfway line.

Gatland was speaking after his team had been beaten 19-16 by South Africa, who now face Jones’s men on Saturday in a repeat of the 2007 showpiece.

Meanwhile, Wales face the All Blacks in the bronze final 24 hours earlier – which was Gatland’s last match as boss.

“Well, guys, can you just send my best wishes to Warren to make sure he enjoys the third and fourth place play-off?” Jones said at a press conference.