Manu Tuilagi to miss Newcastle clash due to groin injury
Wednesday 14 September 2016 17:41, UK
Manu Tuilagi's aborted start to the season will extend to a second match as the Leicester centre's wretched run with injury continues.
Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has ruled Tuilagi out of Sunday's Aviva Premiership clash with Newcastle because of a tight groin that also forced him to miss the defeat by Wasps last weekend.
It is another frustrating setback for the 25-year-old, who has been severely disrupted by injury over the last two years, including a career-threatening groin condition.
"We'll look after Manu for the next couple of weeks. He's about 80 per cent fit and if we really wanted him for Sunday we could push him," Cockerill said.
"But the right thing to do is to manage it and make sure that once he gets over the problem, it's done for good.
"It's frustrating because Manu wants to play. But ultimately we have to be patient and get it right. You are always going to miss a player like Manu."
In January, Tuilagi returned from a 15-month absence caused by an injury known as Gilmore's groin, only for his comeback to then be interrupted by two separate hamstring complaints and a knee issue.
One of the hamstring problems forced him to miss England's tour to Australia in June and it is over two years since his last international start.
