European Champions Cup

Tuilagi to return by Christmas

ESPN Staff

Manu Tuilagi last appeared for Leicester against Exeter in September © Getty Images Enlarge

Leicester Tigers coach Richard Cockerill has revealed that injured centre Manu Tuilagi will return by Christmas, paving the way for him to play for England in the Six Nations.

The Samoan-born powerhouse has been out of action with a groin injury since September and Cockerill paid tribute to his impact at international level and believes England missed his power in the autumn international series.

"Manu Tuilagi will not be fit [for this weekend] and should be back by the end of December, give or take a week or two," said Cockerill. "Logo [Mulipola] will be back at the end of December too.

"In the modern game you've got to be able to dent the line of the opposition... when it's a stalemate you need physicality. That's the reality of it and Manu gives you that. When England have played at their best Manu has been huge for them. Hopefully he'll be back playing at Christmas time and be back into the England squad for the Six Nations."

Cockerill welcomes back various stars from international duty and injury for the visit of European champions Toulon this weekend. Geoff Parling is available again after three months out with concussion, Tom Croft returns from a knee injury and the birth of his daughter and Ben Youngs is back after appearing for England.

"Tom is fine and he would have played last week were it not for his wife having a baby," said Cockerill. "Geoff is good to go and he has been training for the past few weeks. This is the end of the three months off we were advised to give him.

"He has been symptom-free for a few weeks now and, although he not been doing any contact, he has been doing his conditioning. On the advice of the specialist, we have eased him into contact training and, over the past week or so, he has been tackling and doing live scrums too.

"He has been feeling good for two or three weeks and has been pestering me to play. It's unlikely that either of them will start on Sunday though. They have not played any rugby for months and it would probably be too soon for them."

Leicester also welcomed back Tom Youngs, Leonardo Ghiraldini and Marcos Ayerza from injury against Wasps in the Premiership last weekend. Seremaia Bai and Christian Loamanu remain long-term absentees.

Mulipola has been de-registered from Leicester's 38-man Champions Cup squad, with recently returned England prop Dan Cole named in his place.

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