The new Tuilagi? Sale's Ma'asi-White on following his idol

Premiership semi-final: Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks

Venue: Mattioli Woods Welford Road Date: Saturday 7 June Kick-off: 15:30 BST

Coverage: Live commentary connected BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC Radio Leicester and BBC Radio Manchester

Before Saturday's Premiership semi-final betwixt nan 2 teams, Sale centre Rekeiti Ma'asi-White is keen to clear thing up.

It's existent that arsenic an 11-year-old, his uncle gave him a Leicester shirt. But to opportunity he was a Tigers instrumentality isn't rather right.

Because a young Ma'asi-White was much willing successful nan number 12 connected nan back, than nan badge connected nan front.

"I was a large instrumentality of Manu," he says. "I only supported Leicester because of Manu really.

"He has nan aforesaid benignant of inheritance - he is of Samoan descent, I americium half-Tongan, half-English.

"I aspired to beryllium for illustration him and execute what did he did. I was successful nan forwards astatine that age. Thankfully I progressed!"

It wasn't conscionable Tuilagi. Former All Black midfielders Malakai Fekitoa and Ma'a Nonu were besides inspirations.

But Tuilagi was nan illustration Ma'asi-White had seen closest up.

Ma'asi-White's begetter Viliami, who represented Tonga astatine 2003 Rugby World Cup, played pinch Manu's relative Anitelea astatine Leeds successful nan second stages of his career. The 2 families bonded.

"Manu utilized to travel information erstwhile we lived successful Leeds for a small convention together of nutrient and stuff," says Ma'asi-White.

"I was rather young astatine nan time, and didn't realise who everyone was, I didn't cognize really cool it was until I was a spot older."

When Wasps went bust successful 2022, Ma'asi-White and chap academy imaginable Asher Opoku-Fordjour were signed up by Sale. Tuilagi had near Leicester for nan northbound westbound 2 years previously.

"He told maine I utilized to look for illustration a small rat!" remembers Ma'asi-White of their reunion and shared memories of backyard get-togethers much than a decade previously.

"I learned rather a spot from him though aft that."

Viliami is still his superior coach though.

Having played into his forties, Vili is now coaching, steering Oundle to nan 4th tier this season.

Rekeiti though is an awesome broadside project.

Logging successful from his Peterborough home, Viliami will watch footage of each Sale training session.

The greeting earlier each game, Rekeiti gets a telephone pinch a checklist of things to attraction on. After, he will get another, reviewing whether he has deed those targets.

"It is technical, mental, everything," says Ma'asi-White.

"He will say, 'there is still much successful you, you are not moving difficult enough, you request to tackle harder.'

"And I emotion that because it pushes maine to go a amended player."

Ma'asi-White's betterment has been steep and stark.

The 22-year-old, who started nan play connected indebtedness astatine Championship broadside Caldy, only made his first commencement of nan play for Sale successful January.

Tasked pinch thumping complete nan gainline against Toulon, he helped nan Sharks to a 33-7 win and, pinch George Ford and Rob du Preez pulling nan strings astatine 10 and 13, nan 12 garment has been his ever since.

Ma'asi-White has scored successful each of Sale's past 4 games, showing he tin find holes, arsenic good arsenic break down doors.

He was called into nan England elder squad for nan first clip past month.

If his freight-train physicality and deceptively fleet feet do for Leicester connected Saturday, comparisons pinch his aged idol Tuilagi and nan clamour for his inclusion successful England's summertime circuit to Argentina will only grow.

Opposite him astatine Welford Road will beryllium a acquainted face. He and Joe Woodward were England's under-20's centre business for a mates of years.

"He is simply a very bully distributor, bully nexus player, a shot bearer and he has sewage that kicking crippled excessively - a triple threat really," Ma'asi-White says of his erstwhile team-mate.

"I deliberation we worked rather good together, we had immoderate bully times."

Only 1 will beryllium celebrating connected Saturday though.

Woodward and Leicester won astatine Welford Road past month, but Sale, 10 points up pinch half an hr to go, were near ruing indiscipline that fto nan hosts backmost into that game.

"There has been a batch of talk astir america not being an 80-minutes team," says Ma'asi-White.

"We fto them successful nan crippled successful that 2nd half truthful location is simply a large accent connected subject going into this play and to effort and minimise that punishment count and usage nan scrum and statement retired to springiness america that advantage crossed nan afloat game."

If they do, a Premiership last awaits for Sale.

And, for Ma'asi-White, nan anticipation of facing nan Pumas pinch England will grow.

"Going down to Pennyhill Park for that two-day camp, it was exciting, to spot each these big-time players was special," he says.

"I went pinch nan thought that I would conscionable springiness it everything. In nan taxi home, I was conscionable spent, I had nary power left.

"I person to return it measurement by measurement and do my champion here, but going to Argentina is nan scheme - that is my target."

So acold this season, those person worked retired conscionable fine.