Sanderson, Sale’s director of rugby, did everything he could to keep 32-year old centre Tuilagi, who won his 60th England cap off the bench against France last week, at the AJ Bell Stadium, but a hike in the salary cap was not enough for the Sharks to be able to match Bayonne.
“No club in the Premiership would have had the money,” said Sanderson, who has signed the Fiji captain and centre Waisea Nayacalevu for next season. “I knew he was going in February. It was not a persuasion thing. I believe he would have stayed but what we offered him was not what he was worth.
“You are torn because you have to wear a club hat. You want to focus on and care for the person and when it comes down to numbers you have to shelve your principles for the good of the team. If that starts to get weary I will have lost a bit of my soul.
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