BBC Sport
[Source: BBC]
Manu Tuilagi, who won 60 caps for England before moving to French side Bayonne and out of eligibility in 2024, says he may try to represent Samoa at the next Rugby World Cup.
Tuilagi, who was born in Samoa but moved to the UK at 13, would qualify to switch allegiances under World Rugby’s birthright rule in March 2027 – three years after his last England cap.
Samoa were the final team to make the 2027 World Cup in Australia, after scraping past Belgium in a play-off earlier this month.
“It depends if I’m still be able to compete at that level,” the 34-year-old told Rugby Union Weekly.
“It’s the World Cup – if you go, you go to win and to give your best, not just so you can say I’ll play another World Cup.
“I’ll be 36 then, so I don’t know. We’ll see.”
Five of Tuilagi’s older brothers – Andy, Alesana, Henry, Sanele Vavae and Freddie – have played for Samoa, while one of Manu’s final matches for England was against them, an 18-17 win in the pool stages of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
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