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Sat 25 Oct 2014 | 01:52
The Tuilagi and Vunipola brothers talk mums, crossdressers and big hits

11
Comments

Samoan brothers Manu and Alesana Tuilagi appeared on the Clare Balding Show this week, along with Tongan brothers Billy and Mako Vunipola. If you missed the show or aren't able to watch the repeat, here are six great clips featuring a few funny moments and interesting bits from the guys.

You can catch a replay of the full Clare Balding Show on BT Sport 2 (UK) on Saturday at 18:30

Manu and Alesana were talking about their mum when Manu gets a surprise phonecall..

 

Manu and Alex (Alesana) discuss their cross dressing brother, Julie, and how other cultures could learn a thing or two about acceptance for the transgender community from Samoan culture.

 

Clare talks about the day that the Tuilagis demolished Nick Abendanon in a Premiership match. We featured a video of it at the time, and the tackling was brutal.

 

Clare asks about some Manu Tuilagi 'facts' from twitter

 

Why rugby is played in the South Pacific, as explained by the Vunipola and Tuilagi brothers

 

Billy Vunipola on why he left Wasps, and which brother is his mother's favourite

Posted By: Grant Constable

11 Comments

  • 10stonenumber10
    10:32 AM 28/10/2014

    It makes sense. He was raised here, and can make 10x as much playing for England than Samoa, there is a lot more respect and pride in being able to provide for your whole family comfortably for years to come rather than what shirt you wear doing it. Part of the culture, boy, girl, both, england shirt or samoa, as long as you live right and do good in the world, does it matter how you go about doing it?

  • stroudos
    10:53 PM 27/10/2014

    Yes. Clearly he was barking up the wrong tree with that one. I'd say it's far more likely that the faafafine culture has survived *despite* Christians telling them it's immoral.

  • stroudos
    10:50 PM 27/10/2014

    I read an interview a few years ago with some of the Tuilagis, where (re Julie) Henry Tuilagi lamented "it's a pity really, he could be an awesome flanker".

  • danknapp
    9:55 PM 27/10/2014

    I know. I also love the fact that they felt that it was probably their Christian faith which made them so accepting of it. Wouldn't the world be a better place if the majority of Christians responded this way to the issue?

  • danknapp
    9:54 PM 27/10/2014

    But didn't he basically move here because of Alesanna being at Leicester?

  • browner
    4:46 PM 27/10/2014

    Aside from his rugby earnings talent, what's shame that Manu was encouraged away from his home so young.

    Any club or school who actively seek out pacific island rugby talent to divert them away from their homeland needs to look in the conscience mirror ( yes it does happen!)

    IMHO its a real shame that the Tuilagi brothers play rugby for different countries. ( said as an England fan)

  • benny
    12:14 PM 27/10/2014

    I love that they barely know how to answer the question about faafafine because it's so accepted they don't really have to have an explanation.

  • jimmy23
    10:06 PM 26/10/2014

    I suppose that's true, maybe a bit harsh on my part. I do forget that footballers like Rooney exist.
    I wouldn't argue, I would quietly suggest the answer and run away.
    I'd like to see what would happen to the person who makes fun of Julie though, even makes big Manu look small!

  • 10stonenumber10
    7:41 PM 26/10/2014

    Samoan doesn't lend itself very readily to English, he speaks the same way as his brother, but with a midlands instead of Samoan accent.

    He has a few GCSEs so still brighter than the average footballer, and would you honestly argue with a bloke that size if he told you 2+2 = 5?

  • jimmy23
    9:43 AM 26/10/2014

    Manu, bless him, he's a great player but it doesn't sound like a huge amount happens up stairs.

  • danknapp
    7:45 PM 25/10/2014

    Going to need a new sofa. That one is probably fooked now.

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