by Our Sports Desk

Manu Tuilagi’s fate will be decided in the next 48 hours when the severity of the hamstring injury that threatens to rule him out of England’s tour to Australia is confirmed.

Tuilagi has been included among the 32 players picked for the three-Test series against the Wallabies despite suffering what was initially thought to be a grade-two tear requiring six weeks of rehabilitation.

The 25-year-old, who returned from a long-term groin problem in January and has been troubled by knee and hamstring complaints since, lasted only 20 minutes of Leicester’s Premiership semi-final rout by Saracens and a definitive decision on his fitness is expected by tomorrow.

“It’s very much in the balance whether he goes on tour or not. At the moment we don’t know if he’ll be on the tour,” England head coach Eddie Jones said.

“He’ll be examined by the Leicester staff more intensely on Monday. We’re sure that’s the best way to go at the moment.

“Hopefully by Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning we’ll have a pretty firm decision on whether he goes on tour or not.”

Either Luther Burrell or Ollie Devoto will be promoted into the squad if Tuilagi fails to recover, but it is Ben Te’o who could really profit should the wrecking ball centre be withdrawn.

Te’o will play his final match for Leinster in Saturday’s PRO12 final before joining Worcester immediately, thereby honouring Twickenham’s edict on not picking overseas-based players and becoming eligible for the summer tour.