Tuilagi is the biggest member of a formidable family
Posolo Tuilagi comes from good rugby stock with his father Henry and his uncles creating a rugby dynasty but he has proved his own skill.
His brute strength and tactical ability has seen him impress on the international youth stage, and now he is set to win a first senior cap in the Six Nations. So here are some things you should know about him.
Related: France Six Nations squad
Ten things you should know about Posolo Tuilagi
1. Posolo Tuilagi was born on 28 July 2004 in Samoa. He stands at 6ft 4.5in (1.94m) and weighs 23st 6lbs (149kg).
2. He plays for Perpignan at club level and made his professional debut in September 2022.
3. Tuilagi has played for France U20, qualifying through residency after his dad Henry moved to the south of France to play for Perpignan.
4. He has a famous rugby family with his father, Henry, and his uncles already competing in the sport. His uncle Manu plays for England while uncles Freddie, Alesana, Anitelea and Sanele all played for Samoa.
5. When asked about what his family name means in rugby, Posolo said: “I’m very proud. It’s big motivation for me on the field, knowing that I have a big family behind me.”
6. He was named in France’s squad for the U20 World Championships in 2023 and he helped the team win a third successive junior world title with victory over Ireland in the final of the competition held in South Africa
7. Tuilagi went viral for flashing a smile after being named as Player of the Match in France’s U20 World Championship win over New Zealand. He scored two tries, made 10 carries, made 85 meters and made 11 tackles in the match.
👨👦 Dans la famille Tuilagi, je demande Posolo
Le 2e ligne de @usap_officiel est à la conclusion d’un beau mouvement français 🇫🇷
#U6N20 | #FRAvWAL pic.twitter.com/IpsysQCHdJ— Six Nations Under-20s (@SixNationsU20) March 19, 2023
8. He is versatile as he can play as a lock and as a N0 8 but his primary position is in the second row
9. He enjoys going to the arcade with his family.
UPDATE: Taofifenua is ill so Posolo Tuilagi comes onto the bench
More info on Manu's massive nephew here: https://t.co/Nqg2NFDVco pic.twitter.com/AW01ZT6bYG
— Rugby World (@Rugbyworldmag) February 1, 2024
10. Tuilagi was called up to the France senior squad for the 2024 Six Nations before the opening game of the championship in Marseille against Ireland. He initially was left out of the 23 to face Andy Farrell’s side but after Romain Taofifenua went down with illness, Tuilagi was added to the bench.
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