New signing set to fly in, as Exeter receive double injury boost

Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter has been handed a double injury boost ahead of Saturday afternoon’s Gallagher PREM basement clash with Harlequins, with the news that international stars Tom Hooper and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso could both feature in his side.

Wallaby back-rower Hooper appeared to suffer the recurrence of a shoulder injury in the defeat to Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate, but a scan has cleared him of any serious damage, and a decision about his fitness will be made later in the week.

While speed king Feyi-Waboso is due to train with England today after missing the last two games against Toulouse in the Champions Cup and the trip to the Bears, after damaging a hamstring during their only win of the PREM season against Newcastle Red Bulls.

“Most of what we’ve seen is positive. The scans actually show no refracture of that scapula. Very little bruising, no swelling. I think our prognosis at this stage is that it’s more of a hard bang on that fracture site.

“And has created pain, numbness, and a lack of mobility, hopefully for a restricted period, and that we can assess him day by day now. But the one thing that’s really important is there’s been no catastrophic injury there.

“We’ll monitor him day by day, and we’ll see where he can get to by the end of the week, but he could potentially be available for the game at the weekend,” Baxter said.

Baxter is keeping his fingers crossed that Feyi-Waboso, one of seven players away at international training camps this week, comes through unscathed and will be passed fit to face bottom-of-the-table Quins.

“Manny is progressing very well. I believe he ticked the boxes he needed to tick with England yesterday to allow him to train today; following this scan on Sunday, they saw that he was progressing in the right direction.

“We’re hopeful that we’ll be able to liaise with England on his availability for the weekend,” added Baxter.

Meanwhile, Baxter said new signing Dallas McLeod will fly into the country later this week and will be available for the next block of PREM Rugby Cup, starting with Bath’s visit a week on Saturday.