Oh Manu

[LeicScarlet]

2003 the "English" XV were playing for the "Rose"....... 2011 about one third for the "Rose" - the other lot for the limelight and the ££££s.

[tigerlilly]

I take issue with Tig1's comments about Manu, when I watched Manu singing the National Anthem in the quarter final match, there was no doubt in my mind he is passionate about playing in an England shirt and that he is not just in it for financial gain and media status.

[G.K]

I'm sorry, but what a prat.

After the unnecessary distration of all the off the field embarrassments whilst England were still in RWC, he still doesn't understand that as an England player he is a type of ambassador for the Country (and that the eyes of the media will be on them all).

England may have played like it much of the time, but we're not talking about some social/Corinthians XV having a bit of a post-match p*ss-up before pouring themselves bck onto the coach...

Well actually we are it's just that nowdays they go by the name of the EPS.

[tig1]

I take issue with Tig1's comments about Manu, when I watched Manu singing the National Anthem in the qaurter final match, there was no doubt in my mind he is passionate about playing in an England shirt and that he is not just in it for financial gain and media status.

Hi Tigerlilly, i am not saying he isnt committed to the team nor that he wasnt one of Englands best players in the WC.

BUT, he is 100% Samoan, his family are Samoan, his brothers all played for Samoa, and more importantly Samoa were desperate to select Manu. Yet he chose to play for England and turn his back on Samoa because he spent a few years in school here.

Why ? Simply the money, exposure and status of being an England player rather than a Samoan who plays a WC every 4 years. He will earn basically zero playing for Samoa and potentially millions by being a great England player over the next 10 years. He has an agent so he will have been completely aware of the implications, and as i said originally if the financial situation of the 2 countries were reversed of course he would be playing for Samoa.

He is perfectly within the rules to make this choice so no problem

[Tiger_in_Birmingham]

I take issue with Tig1's comments about Manu, when I watched Manu singing the National Anthem in the qaurter final match, there was no doubt in my mind he is passionate about playing in an England shirt and that he is not just in it for financial gain and media status.

Hi Tigerlilly, i am not saying he isnt committed to the team nor that he wasnt one of Englands best players in the WC.

BUT, he is 100% Samoan, his family are Samoan, his brothers all played for Samoa, and more importantly Samoa were desperate to select Manu. Yet he chose to play for England and turn his back on Samoa because he spent a few years in school here.

Why ? Simply the money, exposure and status of being an England player rather than a Samoan who plays a WC every 4 years. He will earn basically zero playing for Samoa and potentially millions by being a great England player over the next 10 years. He has an agent so he will have been completely aware of the implications, and as i said originally if the financial situation of the 2 countries were reversed of course he would be playing for Samoa.

He is perfectly within the rules to make this choice so no problem

Or maybe having spent all of his rugby career here, and most of his schooling, he feels England is more of a home to him than samoa in some respects

[Rob o'r Bont]

Thing is; every kid in Auckland has done this at one time or another. Totally overhyped. Move on, nothing to see here.

[Goffer3404]

As for his antic of jumping off a ferry, the police seem to have been there to "greet" him fairly sharpish, so maybe the press suggested something to him! Either way, he was daft to do!

[Isambard]

Come on the guy has spent a third of his life in England that third is the adolescent phase where big decisions have to be made. He has gone through all the england youth set ups, he's been imbued with the Tigers tradition.
Like any person who has roots in two countries he will have loyalties to both countries.

A quarter of the England squad are young Tigers so of course he is comfortable with playing for England, and I believe with passion, a quality sadly lacking from some of the gym bunnies and show boaters in the same squad.(Obviously none of those from Tigers.)

[crateman]

Dear, oh dear, oh dear. What a load of guff gets dragged up about players and countries again. The rules are the rules, and every country has players from other nationalities playing for them. We have Manu etc, Wales have their no 8 (can't remember the spelling, too S Pacific for me to easily recall), Scotland have their kilted kiwis etc. Get used to it, and wake up to the real world.

The only reason that this has been raised again is from goading from those with welsh affiliations. Let's drop it shall we, because (a) it's not going anywhere, and (b) I have an uncomfortable feeling that Manu would not get picked out for special consideration if he was white. After all, are we particularly concerned with inheritance, heritage, call it what you will, i.e. race? He is also a great prospect, if he was another Hape, would we get as many groans about his eligibility? No? then maybe it's just about jealousy.

Of course, this is being chewed at again because we play Llanelli this weekend (hopefully with a first team, they need to practise together) and, for the time being, Wales are still in RWC. Hopefully, it will all go away after this weekend.

[adamv6]

However Youngs has come to the defence of his club colleague, believing the incident has been blown out of proportion.

"That's another incident where perhaps it isn't that bigger deal, but naturally it's going to come out like that because we are in the public eye," he said.

"I feel sorry for Manu - he's a 20-year-old kid who has just jumped off for a bit of banter, then swam 10 metres in.

"It's hard for me to comment about that because I wasn't there, but the tournament was done and dusted then."

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 00,00.html (Bottom of the article)

Pretty much sums it up. Manu played well, England were out of the RWC, end of.

[mightymouse]

the all blacks I think have 4 not born in NZ - as you say it is a complete red herring

I'm sure Manu is passionate about his Samoan heritate - but equally he will feel English in his upbringing with all his mates that are English and his lifestyle and his playing at age group level - there is nothing odd about this - it is normal.

What this young man needs is to be brought home to the bossom of his family and club who have protected him and advised him in the past. Young men act foolishly - nothing new in that - it is how they are advised when they do that helps them learn and mature. proffesion al and personal guidance will now be crucial and leicester is the place he will get it.

[mightymouse]

I see from the mail online that some of the other Tigers on the boat who were seen as the "sensible ones" in the party could not stop Manu from his daft stunt. They included Flood croft Cole Deacon and Youngs. Seems he was egged on by others in the party - not named -for a 500 dollar/pound bet!

As I said before the sooner he gets away from the influence of the likes of Tindell etc and back to Leicester the better - i think he may take some managing now - Set Freddie on the job!

[crateman]

Better still, his mum. With that family, she must a hell of a woman!

[LeicScarlet]

Better still, his mum. With that family, she must a hell of a woman!

Wearing your "scarlet hat" next weekend Crateman? "SMUG MODE" on full over here

[crateman]

Better still, his mum. With that family, she must a hell of a woman!

Wearing your "scarlet hat" next weekend Crateman? "SMUG MODE" on full over here

Pardonez mois, M Gryff, mais je ne comprends pas!