- AUCKLAND, New Zealand: England center Manu Tuilagi has become the second member of his family to be fined for wearing an unauthorized, branded mouthguard at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
England team officials said Tuesday that Tuilagi broke the sponsorship and ambush marketing rules of the International Rugby Board in England’s 41-10 win over Georgia on Sept. 18 in Dunedin.
Tuilagi says “I wore the wrong gumshield” and “it’s been dealt with.”
His older brother Alesana Tuilagi was also fined NZ$10,000 ($7,500) after the Samoa winger wore the same branded mouthguard as Manu in his team’s 27-7 victory over Fiji on Sept. 25 in Auckland.
England plays France in the quarterfinals at Eden Park on Saturday.