Leicester's Manu Tuilagi Injury Persists

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has ruled Manu Tuilagi out of playing in Sunday's Aviva Premiership match with Newcastle because of the tight groin that has persisted and also forced him out of the match against Wasps at the weekend.

The 25-year-old has been consistently plagued by injury during the last two years which has included a career-threatening groin condition.

Richard Cockerill said "We'll look after Manu for the next couple of weeks. He's about 80 per cent fit and if we really wanted him for Sunday we could push him,"

"But the right thing to do is to manage it and make sure that once he gets over the problem, it's done for good.

"It's frustrating because Manu wants to play. But ultimately we have to be patient and get it right. You are always going to miss a player like Manu."

Earlier this year, in January Tuilagi came back from a 15-month absence from rugby which was caused by Gilmore's groin which followed his comeback by two separate hamstring injuries and a knee complaint.

This meant he missed England's tour to Australia in June 2016 and it is now over two years since his last international start.