Mano y Manu - I take on Tuilagi... at Pool

We were down at Puma HQ yesterday for the press launch of RugbyRocks so I grabbed Manu Tuilagi for a quick game of pool and a chat about all things music and sevens. As is the case with most professional sportsmen he is clearly a keen social sportsman as well and his pool skills are soon on show as he pots three balls off the break, thankfully for me one of them is mine. We get chatting about the events, and in particular music which he clearly has a keen passion for. Ed Sheeran features heavily on his iPod at the moment. He plays a bit of acoustic guitar himself and performed ‘The A-Team’ as his initiation song after his first England cap - no singing normally though – he quickly adds with a stern look at me. I ask him about players with musical talents in the England set up and am unsurprised to hear that Shontayne Hape (DJ Sh4pe) and part time rapper Alex Corbisiero are the most recognised musicians.

We move onto the subject of music in the changing rooms, apparently the Tigers don’t have music pre match, Manu reckons that’s how they stay so focused. It’s very different in the England warm ups where the conditioning coach Bobby takes control of the playlist, and ‘pumping’ music plays a massive part in their psyche up which clearly Manu is a massive fan of. Who has the worst music taste in the England squad? Chris Ashton and Ben Foden according to Manu, although I’d take this with a pinch of salt as the Northampton duo are often the fall guys.

Fearing that we are getting a little too close to the ‘who is the longest in the shower?’ question I move swiftly onto sevens. Manu played a lot in the Tigers Academy and was called up to the England squad for the last leg of the IRB Sevens Series three years ago at the age of 17 before being recalled by Leicester as his fifteen’s talent became very apparent. He clearly still has a fondness for sevens, but is quick to point out the difference in fitness that is required for the code. He doesn’t look in bad shape to me, but he says he will stick to the full format of the game for now as doesn’t fancy the constant running that sevens brings.

He pockets 3 reds in a row as I ask him about his gym tips. He looks me up and down before replying “Start with the small weights, and lots of them”. He tries to repair my bruised ego by adding “that’s what I did”. I thank him for the tips and for not adding “you’re four years older than me and half my size mate, don’t waste your time in the gym”.

He shakes my hand after sinking the black and thanks me for the game to which I jest that I let him win; pointing at the table he says “you’ve got four balls left mate”. He’s right – he has taken me to the cleaners – oh well rather pool than an arm wrestle.

Until next week,

Andy