rugby

“It’s crazy to see where Samoa are from being close to beating us in 2023,” said Manu.

“It’s tough to see.

“My five brothers have played for Samoa, maybe they will say ‘go, get on the flight’!”

Tuilagi played 20 league matches in Bayonne’s run to the Top 14 play-off semi-finals last season, a run of fitness that he rarely matched during his time in England.

Although currently out of action with a hand injury, he believes a change of scenery has helped him avoid longer lay-offs.

“I think it’s the sun and the red wine, something like that,” he joked.

“Training’s intense [in England], over there maybe not as intense.

“It’s long – on Tuesday, our big day, we will still be up at 6-7km [of running in the session]

“But the contact is not as much as in England… just in general the lifestyle is different, the way the French live is very, very relaxed.”

Next five fixtures: Sharks (H), Ospreys (A, Challenge Cup), Black Lion (H, Challenge Cup), Dragons (A), Ulster (A)

It has been a difficult start to life in Galway for former England boss Stuart Lancaster, who replaced Pete Wilkins as Connacht head coach in the summer.

After an opening win over Benetton was followed by the Storm Amy-enforced postponement of their Scarlets game, the western province lost to Cardiff, Bulls and Munster before the international break.

The 28-27 loss to the Bulls in Galway and 17-15 reverse to Munster in Limerick were tough pills to swallow, but Lancaster has had a solid month to devise a plan for breathing new life into Connacht’s season.

It starts with the visit of the Sharks to Dexcom Stadium on Saturday (19:45 GMT). After three defeats in their first four games, the South African side signed off before the November break with a 29-19 win over Scarlets.

The Sharks will be without most of their Springboks, including Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, Ethan Hooker and Andre Esterhuizen.

For the hosts, Ireland internationals Bundee Aki, Cian Prendergast and Finlay Bealham are available for selection, but Mack Hansen has been ruled out.

Hansen, who starred at full-back in Ireland’s win over Australia earlier this month, is nursing hand and foot injuries with Connacht unsure on a timeline for the 27-year-old’s return.

After facing the Sharks, Lancaster will lead Connacht into European action for the first time as the Challenge Cup returns with a trip to Ospreys followed by a home game against Georgian side Black Lion.

During a distinguished playing career, former Ireland, Munster and British and Irish Lions scrum-half Conor Murray played alongside some legendary figures in the world of rugby union.

In a special edition of the BBC’s Ireland Rugby Social podcast, Murray selects the best XV from all the players he lined up with during 15 years participating in the sport at the highest level.

The 36-year-old racked up 125 caps for Ireland, made 207 appearances for Munster and played eight Tests for the Lions across three tours in 2013, 2017 and 2021.

In his own position of scrum-half, Murray selected former Wales number nine Mike Phillips, one of three Welsh players in his XV.

Murray says he learned much from watching Phillips, “taking in as much information as he could” as part of the Lions squad in 2013.

A couple of Englishmen are also included in the selection, with the remainder of the team made up of his former Ireland team-mates.

Murray explains on the podcast that he believes Sam Warburton is worthy of his place in the side at open-side flanker because of both his performances and his leadership abilities.

Warburton led the Lions to a series victory over Australia in 2013 and a drawn series with New Zealand four years later.

The Welsh forward had natural leaders like Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell in the Lions ranks when he took up the reins for the 2013 tour at just 24 years old.

“To be honest, I’d say it was hard for him [to win everyone over at first],” said Murray.

“You had Paulie [O’Connell] and Drico [O’Driscoll] and players who had been on Lions tours before and people naturally looked up to them. They didn’t have to earn people’s respect.

“They looked up to Sam too but he was a new young captain, young to be captain of a British and Irish Lions team.”

England flanker Henry Pollock has been nominated for World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year.

The 20-year-old’s sensational rise includes two tries on his England debut against Wales in March, before selection for the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia.

Although he did not feature in a Lions Test, he has continued to shine for England, scoring a vital try against Australia at the start of November.

Northampton’s Pollock is known for his high energy, speed and immense work-rate, which has been used to good affect off the bench this autumn.

New Zealand’s Dutch-born lock Fabian Holland, South Africa wing Ethan Hooker and Australia’s cross-code star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii are the other nominees.

France winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who was named the 2025 Six Nations Player of the Tournament, is nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year.

The 22-year-old scored eight tries – a record in a single championship – as France lifted the title for a 19th time.

Last year’s winner Pieter-Steph du Toit, who won the award in 2019 as well, is again nominated after helping South Africa win back-to-back Rugby Championships.

Fellow Springboks Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche are also up for the award, with Rassie Erasmus’ side topping the world rankings after an impressive year.

The winners of both awards, and the men’s international try of the year, will be announced on Saturday.

Canada lock Sophie de Goede was named Women’s Player of the Year in September, with England’s World Cup-winning head coach John Mitchell named World Rugby’s Coach of the Year.

Gwen Crabb has had to endure more than her fair share of injuries during her rugby career.

The 26-year-old Wales lock has just had her fourth surgery and is currently undergoing what she affectionately dubs “knee-hab 4.0”.

But Crabb’s latest diagnosis has been a different blow.

After years of living with painful periods, she has finally had the diagnosis of endometriosis.

For a time, she said, she was able to “get on with it” but matters reached breaking point during Wales’ pool match against Canada at the 2025 World Cup.

“All I could think about was ‘when is the pain going to stop?’,” said Crabb.

“I was in so much pain that every now and then I was like ‘oh yeah, I’m playing rugby’.

“The way I try to explain it is if you’re in an ice bath all you can think about is that you’re in an ice bath and how cold you are – that’s how I felt with the pain.

“It was really difficult to be in the moment and concentrate on what the next play is, what am I doing in this lineout and trying to be fully present.”

Allan Bunting has stepped down from his role as New Zealand director of rugby following the Black Ferns’ semi-final exit at the recent Women’s Rugby World Cup.

New Zealand Rugby has announced it will recruit a new head coach following an “extensive review of the Black Ferns programme” after the tournament in England – and that Bunting will not be seeking the position.

New Zealand, who had won six of the previous seven Women’s Rugby World Cups, were knocked out in the semi-finals of the 2025 edition by Canada but then beat France to finish third.

Hosts England defeated Canada in the final to win the competition.

Bunting, who was appointed director of rugby of the Black Ferns in 2023, said it had been an “absolute honour” to lead the team.

He added: “Over the past 14 years, I’ve been honoured to contribute across both the Sevens and Fifteens programmes and experience pinnacle events such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Series and World Cups.

“To have played a role in the growth of the women’s game during this time has been a privilege.”

England squad: AJ Brimson, Joe Burgess, Daryl Clark, Herbie Farnworth, Tom Johnstone, Mikey Lewis, Harry Newman, Mikolaj Oledzi, George Williams (capt), Harry Smith, Mike McMeeken, Jez Litten, Matty Lees, Kai Pearce-Paul, Kallum Watkins, Morgan Knowles, Owen Trout, Alex Walmsley, Morgan Smithies.

Australia XIII: Reece Walsh, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Kotoni Staggs, Gehamat Shibasaki, Josh Addo-Carr, Cameron Munster, Nathan Cleary, Patrick Carrigan, Harry Grant, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Angus Crichton, Hudson Young, Isaah Yeo (captain).

Interchanges: Tom Dearden, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Keaon Koloamatangi.

Reserves: Bradman Best, Lindsay Smith, Mitchell Moses.