Manu Tuilagi, headed for France, acknowledged he’ll miss donning the England jersey but looks forward to what lies ahead for the team.
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The 32-year-old center bids farewell to Sale Sharks, set to join Top 14 outfit Bayonne on a two-year contract.
His 60th appearance in England’s Six Nations defeat to France in March marked the end of a 13-year international stint post his naturalization from Samoa.
RFU regulations dictate that departing Premiership players lose their shot at international selection.
Manu said: “It’s a tough one because you still want to play [for England] but I’ve learned that what you want, you don’t always get. I think I’ll miss it, but now I’ll be a fan.
“The last two games of the Six Nations, Ireland then going to France, taking it right to the wire – it’s exciting. I am excited to see the boys keep that growth going, I think there is so much growth in that team. As a fan I am so excited.”
While it’s a long shot, should the powerhouse centre still be at it in 2027, the then 36-year-old could switch allegiance to his native Samoa for the grand tournament.
Born with the name Manusamoa, he pays tribute to the Samoan national team, Manu Samoa, as his brother Freddie represented Samoa in the World Cup of 1991, the year Manu was born.
Players who could swap nations for 2027 Rugby World Cup:
Manu Tuilagi to Samoa
Nathan Huges to Fiji
When asked if he’d be open to swapping nations, he told Rugby Pass: “Yes, 100 per cent,”
He added: “I’m just focusing purely on Black Rams and just playing as well as I can and letting the selectors do their job.
“The coaches and their staff are all in Europe at the moment and I’m not sure when they will be coming to Japan. We’ll wait until the day comes.
“If he picks me, we will make the decision then, but we have got two more games to go (at Black
Billy Vunipola to Tonga/Australia
With Australia set to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Vunipola could be a legitimate addition to their squad ahead of the tournament.
Players are eligible to represent the nations of their birth after a three-year stand-down period, and Vunipola, who was born in Sydney, fits this criteria.
Having already earned 75 caps for England since his debut in 2013, Vunipola has been a key figure in England’s recent World Cup campaigns, including the 2019 final and the third-place finish in the 2023 tournament in France.