Soon enough the younger siblings were dreaming of following Freddie's example and representing their country. We all wanted to play for Samoa too. Sometimes we even used to use a bottle as a ball. I guess it was good for our handling. This summer, as ever, the tribe will regather for some home cooking and, no doubt, reflect on the unusual experience of being in opposition. Leicester, either way, are happy to stockpile as many Tuilagis as possible. When I said 'Ireland', he asked me which one.
I told this story to the Tuilagis and they get a great kick out of calling me a fellow islander. They're good blokes and hopefully we might get the next generation in a few years' time. The Tigers, probably for that very reason, are perfectly content to encourage the family's pre-match churchgoing ritual. Alex attends mass almost every Sunday and sympathises with the Scotland prop Euan Murray, who has left Northampton after the club became frustrated by his reluctance to play rugby on the Sabbath.
Richard Cockerill — "My only interest is that they turn up on the right day, in the right kit and want to play" — has no such issue with his players' religious faith. A stirring rebirth of Samoan rugby at Test level, meanwhile, could also be on the cards.
Construction of a state-of-the-art training facility, partly funded by the IRB, began in Samoa this week and the squad will spend an unprecedented period of time together ahead of the World Cup. For now, though, Alex's priority is to beat Henry to the punch. According to the piece, Freddie now manages the brothers, Henry just retired, Alesana and Anitelea play for Newcastle, Vavae plays for Carcassonne and Manu is still with Leicester.
It would be interesting to see who would actually win a Tuilagi battle royale. If everyone was at their peak It's no wonder that Manu developed into a beast at such a young age when he grew up being powerbombed by so many monstrous older brothers.
There is one other Tuilagi sibling who isn't a pro rugby player - according to the Daily Mail , he goes by Julie and likes to cross-dress.
This is where the Tuilagi brothers reside, and when they get together for Sunday lunch, the local butcher wears a smile. There are seven brothers in all - six of them rugby players. Theirs is an amazing sporting story which has emerged from the humble village of Fatausi-Fogapoa, half a world away in the tiny Samoan archipelago, population , Fereti - the name is Anglicised as Freddie - is the eldest, at After playing in the World Cup for Samoa he switched to rugby league with Halifax and brought his wife Polly and their young son Brian to England.
Freddie's father, Tuilagi Vavae, is a retired politician: a deputy speaker of the Samoan government. A high chief, too, on the Fatausi village council. His wife, Aliitasi, somehow managed to run the only shop in the village, selling food, while bringing up seven sons - seven very big sons.
Even so, as a kid in bare feet or borrowed boots he would throw a rugby ball around on any available patch of beach, scrubland or concrete.
Often there was no ball. These three are the most likely to feature at next year's World Cup, when Samoa - as in - will be in a pool with England and South Africa.
The Tuilagis' priorities are family, God and rugby in that order, and records can take care of themselves. Next in line is Vavae, 17, who is in Leicester's academy. He and the year-old Manu Samoa - christened with the islands' warrior name in honour of Freddie being part of the squad who made a seismic impact on the World Cup - are at Richards' old school in Leicestershire, John Cleveland College.
They also play for Hinckley RFC. Then there is the third of the brothers, the year-old Olotuli. For centuries in the Pacific Islands, some of the men have been brought up to think of themselves as women and live a woman's life. In Samoa they are known as fa'afafine. The Tuilagis regard themselves as a family within the Leicester family, and the feeling is reciprocated at what used to be a parochial club.
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