IMMANUEL Feyi-Waboso was a pretty unknown factor before the Six Nations, but the 21-year-old winger’s rise from Cardiff Academy, Exeter University, Taunton Titans, to Exeter Chiefs, and then to represent England, all of it in just 18 months, is phenomenal.
Feyi-Waboso has probably had only 25 first-class games, including three Test appearances, but he’s quick and so incredibly explosive that he is creating headaches against even the best international defences. He’s like a coiled spring, and it makes him incredibly difficult to contain.
You can see that defenders very often think they’ve got him, but his dynamism and low centre of gravity means that he stays on his feet – or bounces back up instantly – to put an even bigger dent in the gain-line by making another 10 metres.
Feyi-Waboso is 5ft 11ins and 14st 11lbs (94kg), and so powerful at close quarters that he breaks the grip of tacklers – and his ability to change direction at speed, and do it so abruptly, adds up to a combination of factors which make him very difficult to pin down. It is why he either creates tries, or scores them, and has been inspirational for Exeter this season.
In Exeter’s European Cup round of 16 win over Bath at Sandy Park last weekend, Feyi-Waboso was more creator than finisher, opening the door for the second-half tries by Greg Fisilau and Ethan Roots that saw the Chiefs go through to face Toulouse in an away quarter-final in south-west France today.
He pinballed his way through the Bath defence for a 90 metre carrying total, breaking the line almost every time he got the ball in a man-of-the match performance.
Esta historia es de la edición April 14, 2024 de The Rugby Paper.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 14, 2024 de The Rugby Paper.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.