Tuilagi leaves his calling card
Alesani Tuilagi shaped up as one of the stars of the World Cup after his unstoppable hat-trick of tries in Samoa’s 49-12 hammering of Namibia in Rotorua on Wednesday.
Tuilagi, said by his Samoan team to weigh in at a hefty 121 kilograms, proved irresistible as he stormed his way over the Namibian try-line, with half his team’s six tries with another effort called back.
The Leicester Tigers powerhouse, who has been compared to All Black great Jonah Lomu, now has the extraordinary strike rate of 15 tries in 23 internationals.
Tuilagi is the only one of three brothers selected in Samoa’s 2007 RWC squad who is returning for the 2011 World Cup.
A fourth younger brother, Manu, is playing in his debut World Cup but for England.
The hulking Tuilagi left the Australians red-faced with a runaway 70-metre try off a turnover in Samoa’s ground-breaking 32-23 upset in Sydney in July and he was again in the limelight in Samoa’s first game at the World Cup.
“I wouldn’t like to be standing in front of him when he’s in full cry. I saw someone in the newspaper say he’s 110kg but he’s actually 121[kg],” Samoa backs coach Brian McLean said.
“He was unfit when we played Australia [in mid July] and he was 126[kg]. He’s quite a sight when he’s in full flight.”
Teammate Paul Williams added: “As a fullback you’re well aware of his potential so you want to get him the ball as much as you can.”
Tuilagi opened his try-scoring in the 17th minutes after storming on to a great George Stowers pass and barrelling his way over.
He grabbed his second try five minutes before half-time and crowned his hat-trick after a break from replacement centre Eliota Sapolu Fuimaono 14 minutes after half-time.
“You got to hit the legs, they’re big boys. I like to see their diets from a young age,” quipped bloodied Namibia skipper Jacques Burger.
“These boys run hard, they’re top players.”
Junior Poluleuligaga joked about the Samoan strength: “It’s probably all the taro [vegetable] and corned beef that we eat in the islands. “
Tuilagi will be one of Samoa’s big weapons when they tackle Wales in a vital Pool D game in Hamilton on Sunday which could decide if the Pacific Islanders go through to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
AFP
