Manu Tuilagi absence a blow to England’s World Cup hopes, says Dewi Morris

Dewi Morris says that England have lost one of their most potent weapons after a guilty plea ruled Manu Tuilagi out of the World Cup.

uilagi has been fined £6,205 for two counts of assaulting a police officer, assault by beating, and causing criminal damage.

The England centre was in a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of the World Cup, but England coach Stuart Lancaster had told the player he will not be selected if found guilty.

The Leicester player pleaded guilty to three charges of assault and one of criminal damage at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Thursday. The incident took place several weeks ago and involved Tuilagi clashing with a taxi driver and a police officer.

“This is a serious blow to Manu Tuilagi on a personal front,” Morris said.

Having him in the England side always frightened the opposition and he was the man that Stuart Lancaster would turn to if things were not going right on the field.

“As far as England is concerned it is a massive blow, but is is also the case for Stuart Lancaster and for Leicester as well.

“I think at the end of the day England were putting a lot of pressure and hope on Tuilagi being in the England No.12 shirt which is a problem area for England at the moment.

Tuilagi has always been your go-to man when England wanted to break up defences – a one man wrecking ball!

“But he was also bringing other things to his game like offloading – a bit like what Ma’a Nonu does for NZ.

“Having him in the England side always frightened the opposition and he was the man that Stuart Lancaster would turn to if things were not going right on the field and they needed to do something – that option has been taken away from them now.”