Manu Tuilagi's previous outing on the wing: flashes of brilliance and flirts with disaster

Eddie Jones’s decision to name Manu Tuilagi on the right wing against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday has proved by far the biggest talking point heading into the match.

Only once in his previous 38 starts for his country since 2011 has the 30-year-old started on the wing: on England’s summer tour of New Zealand in 2014 when Stuart Lancaster’s men went down 28-27 in a thriller of a Test in Dunedin.

The fact that Tuilagi was never selected there again was not simply because he was unavailable for most of the next four years. New Zealand also exploited the opportunities thrown up by Tuilagi playing out of position in a game that saw England's star back struggle to get involved for the most part, one memorable length-of-the-field run up the right flank aside.

Clearly these are very different times. England’s starting midfield that day was Billy Twelvetrees and Luther Burrell, whereas they have Owen Farrell and Henry Slade occupying those positions on Saturday, both playmakers in their own right and both adept at switching positions and directing play.

Tuilagi is hardly going to hug the touchline for the entire game. England’s attack coach Martin Gleeson will have plans for how best to harness his considerable strengths (his power and physicality) while hiding his weaknesses (ability under the high ball, outright pace etc).

But that game in 2014 nevertheless offers a useful reminder of both the pros and cons of playing England’s wrecking ball out wide.

Tuilagi was a fresh-faced 23 year old when England toured New Zealand seven years ago. Yet to go through his injury hell - years of debilitating hamstring and knee issues - he still had the electric pace of his youth. Tuilagi had played much of his age grade rugby on the wing, and while he had only played four times for Leicester Tigers out wide prior to that match in Dunedin, his selection at 14 was not such an eyebrow-raiser back then.

Immediately, though, the drawback of playing England’s most dangerous strike runner out wide was obvious. He could not get his hands on the ball.

Tuilagi’s first notable involvement only arrived after 12 minutes; chasing down an Owen Farrell restart and scragging opposite man Julian Savea.

The contribution elicited some purring from Stuart Barnes and Miles Harrison in the commentary booth. “What a kick and chase that was,” noted Barnes. “And Tuilagi announces his presence in the match,” added Harrison.

It was slim pickings, though. After another 12 minutes without a touch, Tuilagi moved into midfield in an effort to see a bit more of the ball. New Zealand went on to exploit this natural desire on both Tuilagi and England’s part to shuffle him infield in phase play.

Tuilagi’s first half was at least more positionally disciplined. After 32 minutes, he dealt well with a probing kick from Conrad Smith in behind him (see image 1 below), tidying up after the ball bounces awkwardly for Mike Brown (images 2 &3) and managing a sidestep (image 4) and one-handed offload to Marland Yarde (image 5) who cleared upfield.

But Tuilagi's most memorable contribution in the match came just before half time when Cory Jane spilled a ball in England’s 22m (1&2, below) and Tuilagi gathered (3) before setting off on a lung-busting length-of-the-field counter (4&5). Only a brilliant tackle (6) by Ben Smith - New Zealand’s man of the match that day - prevented Tuilagi from scoring, the full back not only getting across to make the tackle but turning over the ball in the process (7), with New Zealand immediately kicking to the space Tuilagi had vacated, forcing a knock-on from Danny Care.

Having spent much of the first half a peripheral figure, the second saw Tuilagi try to get more involved, coming off his wing frequently. New Zealand use this to their advantage.

After 42 minutes, Smith scored the first of two tries on Tuilagi’s flank and it came just after England’s right wing popped up on England’s left wing (image 1, below). A few seconds later, England coughed up possession in midfield, Twelvetrees trying to offload to no one in particular, and New Zealand attacked Tuilagi’s vacant flank (2). Aaron Cruden broke the line (3) and passed out to Savea on the left, who with only Brown to beat, passed inside to Smith (4) to score.

Six minutes later New Zealand again targetted England’s right flank. This time Tuilagi was out on his flank (image 1, below) but sucked in when Burrell failed to deal with the threat of Ma’a Nonu (2). That creates an overlap from which teh All Blacks took full advantage, Savea going over in the corner (3).

For the rest of the second half, England struggled to deal with the pressure on their right flank, New Zealand replacement Beauden Barrett almost scored a third try in that corner of the pitch.

Nor did Tuilagi offer much going forward although he did end the game with a reminder of what he can offer out wide. With the clock in the red, the England winger received the ball in a bit of space (image 1, below), sucks in two New Zealand defenders (2) and passed outside to Mike Brown (3), who found Chris Ashton on his inside shoulder to run in under the posts (4). A try created by Tuilagi's considerable running threat.

Jones believes Tuilagi is an older, wiser player now. Perhaps even a fitter one. “Manu has said himself he has got the increased capacity to do repeat efforts and that is what has really impressed us about him,” the Australian observed this week, adding: “We have got two great centres in Owen and Henry who can both find space and both can deliver a pass and the idea is we have got people like Manu and Jonny May, one with power, one with pace, Freddie Steward out the back, he has got great aerial skills, we feel like it is a really good balanced backline.”

If England can find a way to harness Tuilagi’s explosive power from out wide and get him involved in the game, on his terms, it could prove a masterstroke.

But if Australia - like New Zealand seven years ago - can exploit the space thrown up when he moves about the pitch, or target him aerially or positionally, it could be the second and last time England try this particular experiment.