Following an ill-timed tide of injuries and one positive case of Covid, England have been blessed with good news after learning Manu Tuilagi may return from injury sooner than expected.
It was feared the Sale Sharks centre was due to miss this year's Six Nations as a result of the grade three hamstring tear he suffered early in the November win over world champions South Africa.
However, Alex Sanderson has delivered an encouraging update on Tuilagi's prospects for the weeks ahead, suggesting his player may even be fit to face off against Italy on February 13.
England are due to begin their Six Nations against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 5, eight days before they travel to Rome.
While the first-round fixture in Edinburgh is a stretch for the hamstrung Tuilagi, Sale's director of rugby said a trip to the Stadio Olimpico may not be out of reach.
“ Harlequins is the projected return and then we will see how he feels for Six Nations," Sanderson told reporters. "It is a week-to-week thing for Manu but England have total autonomy over when he plays and doesn’t play and if he looks really good and feels good, he will go straight through to England and it could be Italy.
“He is an exceptional trainer and a quick healer so all of his progressions are done on the back of hitting physiological markers and GPS speeds, rescans and seeing the specialist and we would never push him earlier.
"He is very diligent and is living a very wholesome life at the moment; doesn’t eat much meat, doesn’t got out and has just had a baby boy. All of these things are lending themselves to him pushing through the rehab quicker."
The Sharks will travel south to face Premiership titleholders Quins on February 6—the day after England's Six Nations opener—in what could now be a key test of Tuilagi's fitness.
England boss Eddie Jones could do with all the help he can get, too, after captain Owen Farrell was ruled out of the entire Six Nations following ankle surgery.
The two-time Grand Slam-winners already know prop Joe Marler may be unavailable against Scotland after testing positive for Covid, while Courtney Lawes and Jonny May are doubts for the fixture.
With Marcus Smith growing into the No. 10 jersey, Farrell looked nailed on to play at inside centre after retaining the captaincy, handing Jones a fresh dilemma regarding his best midfield make-up.
“The best players take the most care generally speaking and with some of them it's because they are very demanding to get the best out of themselves and you need to meet with them and challenge them," Sanderson added.
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"Big players have big egos, but Manu has none of those and he is the easiest man to manage, but it is going to take time and focus and energy to manage the physical attributes he has. Manu helps manage other players because he is the spider’s web of inter-connectivity with the friendships and trust he creates.
“He has lost weight and we know now what he can function and maintain in terms of overall loadings per week. We know what is good for him and how far we can stretch that as the intensity goes up for international duty. It has to dovetail with the demands of the international game.”
Tuilagi has earned 46 caps for England and could reach his half-century at the Six Nations—provided he returns against the Azzurri and features in every game after that.
Jones and his coaching staff will be particularly wary of rushing Tuilagi back given his injury woes down the years, and an away day in Italy may not meet the threshold to warrant risking a setback.
