We do manual reversion flight training at least once every three years. We are required to train all major system failures in a three year rotating system and manual reversion is one of them.
However real life is very much different from the simulator in this case since the simulator is unable to produce the heavy forces required to fly the real thing. It is a normal check item on post D-Check acceptance flights or acceptance flights when an airplane is returned to the leasing company. Quite interesting to do those flights actually, provides a real learning experience.