Tuilagi has to play 13 if fit.
He beats and draws so many defenders, that that's useful even in itself.
If we're worried about him not passing so much, there are ways around it. We can miss-pass, grubber, pass around the back etc. Using Tuilagi as a dummy runner would be fierce. I just can't comprehend dropping a player that guarantees us breaking the gain line.
Does anyone think it's a coincidence that May was cutting back in field way more than he does for Gloucester? Nope. May didn't take people on the outside because there wasn't the space. May received the ball nearly always next to the touchline. This is because for all of England's successes, creating space out wide was not one of those successes. Tuilagi would certainly open those holes.
Twelvetrees-Tuilagi is the center partnership for England.
Twelvetrees is such an understated player for England. Yeah, Eastmond might be able to distribute and run at space better than Twelvetrees can. Yet that's all Eastmond has on Twelvetrees really. Twelvetrees is a backline carrier, a supporting boot for Farrell, he can draw defenders, he's nearly as good defensively as Barritt is, good rucking etc. And he's still got a decent pass, some decent pace, an attacking instinct etc. And leadership. I've read elsewhere, and agree, that when Twelvetrees plays, he helps the players around him play better. Which is why I'm eager to see Twelvetrees partner Tuilagi. Of course, Twelvetrees has some rough edges, but I'm convinced that he'll iron out a lot of these over time.
