Rugby Union: Manu Tuilagi will link up with the England squad before returning to play for Leicester Tigers next weekend, according to the club’s director of rugby Richard Cockerill. Tuilagi, 24, proved his fitness with a fine performance in Leicester’s seven-try demolition of Premiership bottom club London Irish. He will play for Leicester against second-placed Exeter next Sunday after two days with England but Cockerill refused to say whether he was ready to play for England against Wales at Twickenham on March 12. “We will have to see,” he said.

Golf: Tiger Woods seemed “very healthy” when he attended a dinner party at the home of Jack Nicklaus, the 18-times major champion said yesterday. Nicklaus and wife Barbara hosted the gathering for United States Ryder Cup hopefuls at their Florida home last week, while the players were in town for the PGA Tour Honda Classic. Woods, who has not played competitively since August, was there in his capacity as a Ryder Cup assistant captain. “He looked very good,” the 76-year-old Nicklaus said. “He looked very healthy and he misses playing. So that’s good.”

Basket, NBA: Veteran Joe Johnson signed with Miami Heat on Saturday and on Sunday the versatile swing man was thrown right into the fire, delivering in a victory over New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Seven-time All-Star Johnson scored 12 points with three assists and three rebounds while providing strong defence in 30 minutes on the floor in Miami’s 98-81 win over the home team. “I have never joined a team mid-season. This is kind of new,” said 34-year-old Johnson.