Sale Sharks and England centre Manu Tuilagi got absolutely smashed in the European Cup today.
He learned pretty quick that Toulouse’s Emmanuel Meafou, 6ft 8ins and 22st loc,k is a beast of a man when he is carrying the ball in hand.
The Australian-born forward qualifies for France on residency.
One fan wrote: “Emmanuel Meafou makes Manu Tuilagi eat dirt.”
Another commented: “Have you ever seen Manu Tuilagi get sat down like Emmanuel Meafou did today?,”
A third said:”Ouch. He could be a doubt for the Six Nations after that.”
MARTIN JOHNSON ALL-TIME XV
BACK-THREE:
Fullback: Serge Blanco (France) – “A great France full back who dominated games.”
Winger: Joe Roff (Australia) – “You’d put David Campese up there but Roff is my choice. A fantastic all-round rugby player, and old-style wing.”
Winger: Jonah Lomu (New Zealand) – “Not much difficulty in choosing one of the most awesome wings to have ever played.
“We played New Zealand in a really tight pool game in 1999 and we were getting on top of them, then he ran 60 yards and scored a try.
“Nobody else on the field could’ve scored that try and they went on to win the game. But even he needed his teammates… sometimes he didn’t.”
CENTRES:
Outside-centre: Philippe Sella (France) – “I used to watch him as a kid on TV and think he was brilliant; and then ten years later I played against him and he was still brilliant. He still looks as if he could play for France today. One of the best backs I’ve ever seen. If you hit him it was like running into concrete.”
Inside-centre: Danie Gerber (South Africa) – “Scored a hat-trick against England in the first half in one match in the 1980s. He didn’t play many Tests because of apartheid, but he had power and pace. I don’t know if he could pass: it seemed like he never needed to. I played against him in a charity match in 1996 when he must have been well into his 40s, he was still awesome.”