England's Feyi-Waboso Suffers Injury Scare Ahead of Six Nations Wales Clash
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has thrown England's preparations for their Guinness Six Nations opener against Wales into disarray after suffering an injury scare during Thursday's training session. The explosive winger pulled out of the squad's final practice with an unspecified leg issue, creating significant doubt about his availability for Saturday's crucial Twickenham showdown.
Training Session Cut Short
The 23-year-old started the session at England's Bagshot training base but was forced to withdraw before completion. Medical staff are currently assessing the extent of the damage, with defence coach Richard Wigglesworth confirming the concerning development. "The only slight concern we have is Manny. He pulled up at the end of training, at the very end," Wigglesworth revealed. "His leg's sore, there was nothing specific and he walked off. There was nothing much to it, but he did miss the last 60 seconds of training so we're waiting to investigate that a little bit more."
Potential Replacement Options
Should Feyi-Waboso be ruled out of Wales' visit to Allianz Stadium, the versatile and experienced Elliot Daly would emerge as the most likely replacement on the right wing. This would represent a significant blow to England's attacking plans, given Feyi-Waboso's remarkable impact since his international debut. The young winger has drawn comparisons to cross-code great Jason Robinson from assistant coach Kevin Sinfield, who praised his explosive carrying and electric footwork during the autumn internationals.
Feyi-Waboso's Recent Journey
The injury scare comes at an unfortunate time for Feyi-Waboso, who missed the entire 2025 Six Nations campaign after undergoing shoulder surgery. He made his successful comeback against the USA during England's summer tour and subsequently started all four autumn Tests, scoring memorable tries against both Fiji and Argentina. In just 13 Tests, he has accumulated an impressive seven tries, with his dynamic running threat making him one of the first names on Steve Borthwick's teamsheet.
Captaincy Situation and Team News
England will be led into Saturday's encounter by Jamie George, who deputises for regular captain Maro Itoje. Itoje has been named on the bench after missing portions of the pre-tournament training camp in Girona to attend his mother Florence's funeral. George, who previously captained England during 2024 when the team won five of their twelve Tests, expressed his delight at the unexpected opportunity. "Brilliant and unexpected. I didn't ever see that happening again after our tour to Argentina in the summer," said George, who will retire after the 2027 World Cup. "It's a privilege. I love this job, it's the best thing in the world being able to do this."
England's Form and Expectations
England enter the match as overwhelming favourites, having won eleven successive Tests, with bookmakers offering odds of 1/66 for a home victory. Crisis-hit Wales are considered significant underdogs, but George acknowledges the potential danger. While describing it as a "free swing" for Steve Tandy's side, the stand-in captain insists England are embracing the weight of expectation. "I've been around too long not to lean into being favourites. The elephant in the room – we've been in good form recently. We haven't shied away from it," George stated emphatically.
Henry Arundell retains his position on the left wing, providing England with additional attacking threat regardless of Feyi-Waboso's availability. The medical team's assessment over the next 24 hours will prove crucial in determining whether England's star winger can feature in what promises to be a compelling Six Nations opener.
