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Exeter explain England reason why Feyi-Waboso op has been delayed

By PA
England winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Exeter boss Rob Baxter has explained that a decision has still to be made on whether England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will undergo surgery on the shoulder he dislocated while in action for Chiefs just before Christmas.

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England’s opening Guinness Six Nations game is against Ireland on February 1 and the 22-year-old would miss the entire tournament with a post-surgery recovery timescale of 10-12 weeks. Baxter confirmed that the British and Irish Lions hopeful is booked in for an operation next week, although Feyi-Waboso could opt to avoid the surgery route and concentrate on rehabilitation instead.

Andy Farrell takes the Lions to Australia this summer, with the Six Nations a major selection shop window. Feyi-Waboso has been a front-runner for one of the back three spots because of his impact since making his Test debut last year.

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Feyi-Waboso was one of 17 England players to be awarded an enhanced elite player squad contract last October, with England now having a far greater say on all medical and sport science matters affecting those individuals under a new eight-year professional game partnership between the Rugby Football Union and Gallagher Premiership clubs.

On that new process, Baxter said: “It certainly would have happened quicker (previously), without doubt. We had things booked, ready to go, decisions ready to be made a week ago. The process you have to go through now has certainly slowed things down.

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“That doesn’t mean, necessarily, that it’s wrong, but it certainly slows things down. Until that operation happens, he is still working very hard rehabbing his shoulder. That will ultimately decide whether the operation happens, or Manny feels he has got himself to a position where the rehab is going sufficiently well so the operation doesn’t occur.

“It is an ongoing process at the moment involving Manny, our medical team and the England medical team. It’s there, it’s booked to happen, but he is not actually on the operating table yet. He isn’t going to be fit for the start of the Six Nations – there is zero possibility of that.

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“He has barely started his rehab process really, because the toing and froing over whether he has an operation or goes for rehab is probably slowing both options down – the operation or the rehab.”

Feyi-Waboso is one of England’s most dangerous players with a strike rate of five tries in eight matches and, if fit, would have been an automatic Six Nations pick. “There is a lot going on, isn’t there? You have got a young man who has had England recognition for the first time, had his breakthrough season in the Premiership last year, there is a Lions tour at the end of this year,” Baxter added.

“He has picked up an injury and the decision is, ‘Do I try to rehab it so I could potentially be involved in the end of the Six Nations?’ He can go one way or the other, and that will give him a clear reference point for what he is aiming for – is it the end of the England Six Nations campaign, or is it post-Six Nations, getting ready for a big end to the season that will help him drive his claim for the Lions, if that is a possibility?

“In a lot of ways, the operative route does take a lot of those ups and downs out of it. Then he gets it done, has proper rehab time and he knows his shoulder will be ready to go when he plays again, and he can just get on and go hard at the end of the season.

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“One thing puts a full stop to it and has some certainty, the other does have lingering doubts around it. Those are his quandaries at the moment. It’s not for me to say, ‘You do this’. You sit with a player and make the right call for them, that is how it has to be. I am very happy backing Manny’s decision. We want the players here to want the best for them.”

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1 Comment
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Bull Shark 85 days ago

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I
IkeaBoy 2 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


“I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


“I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


“lol u really need to chill out”

Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

171 Go to comments
f
fl 3 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


“Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

171 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 4 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

171 Go to comments
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