Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

Last updated

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso LQ Feb 2024.jpg
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso in February 2024
Date of birth (2002-12-20) 20 December 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Cardiff, Wales
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) [1]
Weight89 kg (196 lb; 14 st 0 lb) [2]
School Clifton College Corpus Christi, Cardiff
University Aston University
University of Exeter
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre
Current team Exeter Chiefs
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2021 Cardiff 1 (0)
2022 Wasps 2 (0)
2022– Exeter Chiefs 30 (90)
Correct as of 27 October 2024
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2024– England 10 (25)
Correct as of 9 November 2024

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (born 20 December 2002) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for Premiership Rugby club Exeter Chiefs and England.

Contents

Early life and education

Feyi-Waboso is one of six siblings, born to parents with Nigerian, English and Jamaican heritage. He grew up in Llandaff, Wales. [3]

After school at Clifton College, he initially studied at Aston University, then moved to study medicine at Exeter University.

Club career

Feyi-Waboso began playing with Rumney RFC, and played for Cardiff Schools at U-11 and U-15 level. [4]

Feyi-Waboso signed for the Cardiff Blues academy ahead of the 2020–21 season. [5] He made his Cardiff Blues debut in Round 1 of the Pro14 Rainbow Cup against Ospreys. [6] Feyi-Waboso left Cardiff after failing to secure a place in the medical programme at Cardiff University despite strong grades. [7] He instead took a place at Aston University. [7]

On 14 February 2022, Wasps announced the signing of the centre, from the 2022–2023 season onwards. [8] Following Wasps's expulsion from the league due to their administration, Feyi-Waboso was signed by Exeter Chiefs. [9] He made his debut that same month in the Premiership Cup against Bath before making his Premiership debut for the club against London Irish. [10] [11]

In April 2024, he set a new record in the Champions Cup having beaten 13 defenders in Chiefs round of 16 fixture against Bath, the most any player has managed in a single Champions Cup fixture since records began for the competition in 2009. [12] In May 2024, having scored 10 tries throughout the league season, he won Breakthrough Player of the Season. [13] That same monthh, he was named in the Premiership Rugby Team of the Season for the 2023–24 campaign. [14]

In December 2024, he scored from a cross-field kick in the club's opening fixture of the 2024-25 European Rugby Champions Cup in a 39-21 away loss to the Sharks. [15]

International career

Feyi-Waboso represented Wales at U18 and voiced his dream to play for Wales at international level in an article in 2023.

He represents England at international level. He qualified on ancestry grounds. His father is half Nigerian and half English, and his paternal grandmother is from Gloucester. [16]

He received his first call-up to the senior England squad on 17 January 2024 for the 2024 Six Nations Championship. [17] He made his debut on 3 February 2024, in a 27–24 win against Italy in the first round of the Six Nations. [18] He scored his first international try in his third international appearance in a 30-21 loss against Scotland on 24 February 2024 whilst coming off the bench. [19] He made his first start in the match against Ireland on 9 March 2024. In November 2024, he made his autumn nations series debut scoring a try against New Zealand in a narrow 24-22 defeat at Twickenham. This accomplishment meant he had the unfortunate record of having scored three tries, three games in a row against New Zealand and losing all three games. [20] [21]

International tries

As of 20 November 2024
TryOpposing teamVenueCompetitionDateResult
1Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 2024 Six Nations 24 February 202430 - 21
2Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Japan National Stadium, Tokyo 2024 England rugby union tour of New Zealand 22 June 202417 - 52
3Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin 2024 England rugby union tour of New Zealand 6 July 202416 - 15
4Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Eden Park, Auckland 2024 England rugby union tour of New Zealand 13 July 202424 - 17
5Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Twickenham Stadium, London 2024 end-of-year rugby union internationals 2 November 202422 - 24

Personal life

Born to Nigerian parents in Llandaff, Wales, Feyi-Waboso attended Corpus Christi High school. Apart from rugby, he also showed a talent for hurdles and high jump.

Since 2022, alongside playing for Exeter Chiefs and England, Feyi-Waboso is also studying a medical degree at the University of Exeter. [22] During the 2024 Six Nations, he missed a three day training camp with England to complete a face-to-face exam as part of his studies. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leigh Halfpenny</span> Wales and British Lions international rugby union player

Stephen Leigh Halfpenny is a Welsh rugby union player who plays as a fullback or wing for Harlequins in the English Premiership. Halfpenny is the third highest points scorer for Wales after Neil Jenkins and Stephen Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exeter Chiefs</span> English rugby union club, based in Exeter

Exeter Chiefs is an English professional rugby union club based in Exeter, Devon. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Slade (rugby union)</span> England international rugby union player (born 1993)

Henry James Harvey Slade is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for Premiership Rugby club Exeter Chiefs and the England national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Nowell</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player

Jack Thomas Nowell is an English professional rugby union player for Top 14 side La Rochelle. He also represents England. His position of choice is wing but he can also play as a full-back or outside centre.

Sam Hill is an English rugby union player who plays as a centre for Houston SaberCats in Major League Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michele Campagnaro</span> Italian rugby union player

Michele Campagnaro is a former Italian rugby union player. He represented Italy at international level, having made his test debut against Fiji during the 2013 Autumn Internationals.

Jonny Hill is an English professional rugby union player who plays at lock for Premiership club Sale Sharks. Hill is the nephew of former Rugby league international Paul Loughlin.

Oliver Jonathan Devoto is an English rugby union player who plays for Chicago Hounds in Major League Rugby. His position is as a utility back primarily at centre.

Tomas Francis is a Wales international rugby union player who plays at tight head prop for Ospreys.

David Young is a Welsh rugby union coach and former rugby union and rugby league player. He was most recently director of rugby at Cardiff Blues.

Harry Anthony Hall Williams, in London, England, is an English international rugby union player. He plays as a tighthead prop for Section Paloise in the Top 14. Williams previously played for London Wasps, Nottingham, Jersey Reds, Exeter Chiefs and Montpellier Hérault Rugby. At International level, Williams made his England debut against Argentina on 10 June 2017.

Alec William Hepburn is an Australian born, professional rugby union player who plays as a loosehead prop for United Rugby Championship club Scarlets and Scotland.

Stu Townsend is a scrum-half playing professional rugby union for Exeter Chiefs in Premiership Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Caulfield</span> Rugby player

Josh Caulfield is a professional Rugby Union player. He plays in the second row for the Bristol Bears.

Samuel George Skinner is a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for United Rugby Championship club Edinburgh. Born in England, he represents Scotland at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

Cadan Murley is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for Premiership Rugby club Harlequins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mason Grady</span> Welsh rugby union player

Mason Grady is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Cardiff and the Wales national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christ Tshiunza</span> Wales international rugby union player

Christ Tshiunza is a Welsh rugby union player who plays as a lock or flanker for Exeter Chiefs in the English Premiership. Tshiunza has represented Wales and Wales U20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dafydd Jenkins (rugby union)</span> Welsh rugby union player

Dafydd Jenkins is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Premiership Rugby club Exeter Chiefs and captains the Wales national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Fisilau</span> English rugby union player

Greg Fisilau is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a back row for Premiership Rugby club Exeter Chiefs.

References

  1. "Immanuel Feyi-Waboso".
  2. "Immanuel Feyi-Waboso".
  3. "Exeter Chiefs Player List". www.exeterchiefs.co.uk.
  4. Thomas, Simon (15 February 2022). "'Special future Wales international' Feyi-Waboso lost to English Premiership". WalesOnline. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  5. "Cardiff Blues 2020–21 squad confirmed". Cardiff Blues. 18 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  6. "Pro14 Rainbow Cup: Ospreys 36-14 Cardiff Blues". BBC Sport. 24 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  7. 1 2 Thomas, Simon (8 October 2021). "Fears 'special' future Wales international will be lost to England". WalesOnline. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  8. "Immanuel Feyi-Waboso Joins Wasps Academy Ahead Of 2022-23 Season". Wasps RFC. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  9. "Chiefs sign young trio from Wasps". www.exeterchiefs.co.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  10. "Chiefs 25 Bath 22". Exeter Chiefs. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  11. "Premiership: London Irish 17-14 Exeter Chiefs - Exiles hang on to seal fifth spot". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  12. Coetzee, Dylan. "Newly-capped England wing smashes all-time Champions Cup record". Planet Rugby. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  13. "Premiership Rugby Awards: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso wins Breakthrough Player of the Season". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  14. "Premiership Rugby Team of the Season 2023/34". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  15. Cartwright, Phil. "Exeter beaten by Sharks in Champions Cup opener". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  16. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68503857#:~:text=Feyi%2DWaboso%20is%20eligible%20to,paternal%20grandmother%20is%20from%20Gloucester.
  17. "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  18. "Immanuel Feyi-Waboso set for long England career, says Steve Borthwick: 'He's ready'". London Evening Standard. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  19. "Scotland beat England in Six Nations for fourth time in row - reaction". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  20. Henson, Mike. "All Blacks edge out England in dramatic finale". BBC. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  21. Coombe, Louis. "Rating every England player from the All Blacks series, as 'brilliant' full-back and star half-back take their chance". Planet Rugby. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  22. Baldock, Andrew. "Exeter will leave 'gifted' Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to decide own international path". The Independent. The Independent. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  23. Jones, Chris. "Six Nations 2024: England's Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to miss training camp to sit exam". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2024.