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The Afolabi Fasogbon voice note after his clash with Ellis Genge
By Liam Heagney
Afolabi Fasogbon has posted a voice note giving his take on last Friday’s clash Gallagher Premiership clash with Ellis Genge. The recent World Rugby U20 Championship title-winning tighthead with England packed down against the established England Test-level loosehead when Gloucester visited Bristol at Ashton Gate and what materialised was entertaining.
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The rival props only played around 19 minutes of the match against each other as Genge, a Bristol starter, was substituted on 59 minutes, making way for Jake Woolmore to play out the remainder of the second half against Fasogbon, who was a half-time replacement for Kirill Gotovtsev.
There were words exchanged between the props, shenanigans at scrum time where there were penalties. There was also a ‘s***housery’ wave from Fasogbon when Genge was called ashore and then some shadow boxing when they approached each other at full-time.
The incident has now been assessed on The Rugby Pod by co-hosts Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton and in response to a voice note sent to him by Hamilton, Fasogbon has shared his thoughts on what took place with Genge and what he makes of his front row rival. Here is how The Rugby Pod conversation unfolded:
Producer Rob: That exchange between Fasogbon and Genge, that was top class.
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Andy Goode: It was. Obviously props know each other well. Maybe Gengey didn’t really know Fasogbon but knew of him from the 20s and all this stuff as an up and coming player and Gengey is like, I need to put this fella in his place kind of thing. I am watching the scrums and when you see Fasogbon come on and he is a big old truck, there was all the messing around at scrum time.
Gengey wouldn’t let Fasogbon get his head in there and hardly any scrums were completed. Gengey gets a penalty and then next scrum Fasogbon absolutely destroys Gengey. Goes in on the angle a little bit but literally runs straight over him and then just gives him a look. There was a lot of cajoling. It was basically a young kid coming up against Gengey, the chest pumping, I’m the big dog.
Jim Hamilton: I remember Gengey coming through as a kid because I was at Saracens, literally going in f***in monstering, just unapologetic about it. Loved him when he was coming through… Fasogbon comes on, does him in the scrum, gets subbed off, Fasgobon gives him a wave that is caught on camera. They call it s***housery in sport but I enjoyed it. I saw the interactions, I know it blew up on social media but I sent him a voice note. I said could I just get a few words for the pod. Do you want to hear it?
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Goode: Yes!
Hamilton (voice note): Afo, hope you’re well. Jim Hamilton here, former Gloucester great. This is your captain speaking. Talk to me about the interaction with Gengey that has gone off. We don’t see enough rugby s***housery. When he shadow boxed you at the end, did you flinch? Have you got anything to say for yourself after that weekend’s interaction? Kindest regards.
Afolabi Fasogbon (voice note reply): Hi Jim. Hi skipper, Gloucester legend skipper. Just around that interaction with Genge, it was nothing malicious, nothing arrogant at all. It was a spur of the moment thing and obviously a young player and I am still learning as we saw later on in the game with my scrums. It was just a thing that happened in the moment and funnily enough, Genge is actually one of my idols. I have spoken about him in interviews before. I believe he is an example of what I’d describe as a modern-day prop.
We were going after each other as well, which was good. That’s the game. The incident after the game as well which was quite nice that people saw, the shadow boxing and the shaking hands was nice and Genge was being really nice to me. He was just saying well done and good luck for the rest of the season. He hopes I do well which was nice, especially coming from someone of his status. Yeah, that was it. Nothing malicious or anything. Humble interaction at the end with that mutual respect that is important off the field after the game is done.
Goode: What a lovely, well-spoken young man.
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Hamilton: It was really nice for him to do that.
Goode: Really good. You see some young kids coming through, and we have been there at clubs where kids come through and they are like, ‘Where’s my boot deal? Where’s my car?’ They have got this attitude around them that they are entitled to stuff. That has just reconfirmed everything you hear about him [Fasogbon]. He is a sponge, wants to learn as much as he can, massive amount of respect for everyone and everything ahead of him, before him, the coaches. What a lovely interaction.
