Former England center Manu Tuilagi has left the door open to potentially switching his national team to Samoa for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The 34-year-old center, who won 60 Test caps for England between 2011 and 2024, is currently ineligible as Steve Borthwick’s side move towards playing club rugby for French Top 14 side Bayonne in the summer of 2024.
Tuirangi was born in Samoa, moved to England at the age of 13 and progressed through the Leicester Tigers’ academy system.
Tuilagi last played for England in the 2024 Six Nations in the fifth round against France and will be available for Samoa in 2027 after a three-year hiatus from World Rugby.
Tuilangi, who will be 36 by the time the next World Cup begins, admitted he is “interested” in representing Samoa but would only do so if he is still fit and fit.
“Social media was buzzing when Samoa qualified,” Tuilagi said.
“For me it’s still a long way to go and I don’t know if I’ll ever achieve it. For me, there’s a difference between being interested and being able to compete.
“This is a World Cup, not a club competition. If you want to go, you want to go there to make sure you play, not just to play.
“I get asked this question a lot. For me, being interested and being realistic about my performance are two different things. I get that.”
World Rugby rules, which came into force in 2022, require players to spend a minimum of 36 months away from international rugby before switching national allegiance, provided they meet other eligibility criteria. Eligibility to switch requires that the player was born in the new country or had a parent or grandparent born in the new country.
Five of Tuilagi’s brothers, Anitelea, Alesana, Henry, Bavae and Freddie, represented Samoa during their rugby careers.
