1
The Immanuel Feyi-Waboso reaction to getting first England start
By Liam Heagney
Thursday’s England team selection was given a surge of energy with the inclusion of rookie Immanuel Feyi-Waboso for his first Test start. The 21-year-old had announced himself on the international scene with a try-scoring effort off the February 24 bench against Scotland, his second run last month as a sub.
ADVERTISEMENT
Such was the threat he wielded in the latter part of that 21-30 loss, he was singled out post-game for praise by rival Scotland boss Gregor Townsend.
The Exeter winger was marked absent when England assembled last week in York for a fallow week training camp, an in-person university medical exam taking precedence.
However, he has now learned from Steve Borthwick that he will start for England on their right wing versus Ireland on Saturday at Twickenham, pushing Elliot Daly onto the bench and completing a remarkable rise from obscurity to Test starter.
Just 18 months ago the Welsh born and bred back was playing down the national leagues for Taunton Titans.
Now, after a breakthrough winter with Rob Baxter’s Exeter, he will run out in London looking to help Borthwick’s team put an abrupt stop to Irish hopes of winning back-to-back Guinness Six Nations Grand Slams.
Asked how the youngster reacted to the news that he had made the England starting line-up for the first time, Borthwick told his Thursday afternoon media briefing: “He was full of gratitude, I don’t know how many times he said thank you to me.
ADVERTISEMENT
“You have seen that with players recently; Theo Dan another one within a year of playing at Ampthill was in the World Cup squad.
“We see these young players with incredible ability and determination and you see each time when you throw a challenge at these players, Manny, Theo, they just seem to relish that challenge and jump right to it. We have seen Manny so far in this Six Nations progress brilliantly and he has earned this opportunity.”
Why is Ireland the perfect game to start an inexperienced player who only debuted off the bench on February 3 in Rome against Italy and was next capped against the Scots after being left as an unused sub versus Wales?
“The blend of players is important and Manny came onto the field two weeks ago and had incredible impact. He is a player who wants the ball, he is a player who wants to carry, he wants to get the team over the gain line.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Skipper Jamie George was delighted with Feyi-Waboso’s promotion from the bench. “He’s ready, he’s more than ready, you have seen that in the time he has had on the field so far in this Six Nations.
“He is an incredible talent but the maturity that I have seen from Manny is something that has impressed me a lot. His willingness to learn, he is eager. You are constantly having to pull him back.
“He is so excited for this opportunity, you can see that and that energy is infectious throughout the team. When young guys come in and have an impact like that it’s always very, very impressive.”
I believe England should use a selection panel made up of ex-players and take selection out of the coach’s hands. Let the coach, coach. It would limit how much damage a head coach can do. It would also mitigate the tendency of a coach to have favourites. If a selection panel was used for this game, Earl would not be playing eight, Chessum would not be playing at six and Care would not be ahead of Spencer. Also, Mercer would be involved.
And previously, if a selection panel had been used, Don Armand, Dave Ewers, Alex Goode, Dan Robson, Nick Tompkins and Danny Cipriani would not have been overlooked.
Like the look of this guy. Reminds me of a young Habana.