- England star Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will not attend the three-day training camp
- The aspiring doctor – and England winger – will prioritise his medical degree
- The 21-year-old has burst on to the international scene during this Six Nations
England wing tyro Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will not attend the national side’s three-day training camp in York this week as the aspiring doctor prioritises his ongoing medical degree.
Feyi-Waboso has burst on to the international scene in this Six Nations after a breakthrough season with Exeter. He made his Test debut in the round one win over Italy.
The 21-year-old, who was born in Cardiff but qualifies for England through family ancestry, scored his first try in England’s Calcutta Cup defeat by Scotland last weekend after coming off the bench.
Alongside his more-than-promising rugby career, Feyi-Waboso is studying medicine at Exeter University while contracted to the Chiefs.
As part of his degree course, he has a medical exam this week that must be completed face to face which is why he is not part of the 36-man England squad in York.
England star Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will not attend their three-day training camp in York
The 21-year-old winger has burst on to the international scene during this Six Nations
There is no suggestion that Feyi-Waboso’s education will stop him from being in the frame to face Ireland at Twickenham a week on Saturday.
England head coach Steve Borthwick is clearly willing to allow the player to balance his medical studies with his professional rugby career though such a scenario is unusual in the game today.
The party named for the York training camp ahead of the Ireland Test doesn’t include Marcus Smith and Alex Mitchell as full members. They are set to continue their recoveries from calf and knee injuries respectively with the squad.
Fly-half Smith is yet to feature in the Six Nations to date.Borthwick said after the 30-21 defeat by Scotland he was hopeful he and Mitchell would be fit for the latter end of the 2024 Championship but that remains uncertain at this stage.
Elsewhere, England’s squad has lost Ben Curry who was injured in training last week. Tom Pearson has been recalled as a back-row option.
The aspiring doctor will prioritise his ongoing medical degree ahead of the training camp
With Mitchell still listed as a player recovering from injury, Bristol’s Harry Randall remains with the squad as scrum-half back-up to Danny Care and Ben Spencer.
Randall, Pearson, Charlie Ewels, Joe Heyes, Will Muir and Max Ojomoh are all in England’s full squad for Ireland after playing for the A team in a 91-5 thrashing of Portugal last Sunday.
After a hugely disappointing performance against Scotland, England will have it all to do against a formidable Ireland side who have a perfect record so far in 2024.
Andy Farrell’s men are on course for a second consecutive Grand Slam after bonus-point wins over France, Italy and Wales and will travel to Twickenham full of confidence.
