England have been handed a major injury concern ahead of their Six Nations opener against Wales, with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso pulling out of training on Thursday due to a leg issue. The 23-year-old wing failed to finish the session at the squad's base in Bagshot and is now being assessed by medical staff.
Defence coach Richard Wigglesworth confirmed the setback, saying: 'The only slight concern we have is Manny. He pulled up at the end of training, at the very end. 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.'
If Feyi-Waboso is ruled out of Saturday's match at Allianz Stadium, Elliot Daly is the most likely replacement on the right wing. The Exeter Chiefs star missed the 2025 Six Nations due to shoulder surgery but returned during the summer tour and started all four autumn Tests, scoring tries against Fiji and Argentina. He has seven tries in 13 Tests and is considered one of England's key attacking threats.
Meanwhile, Jamie George will captain England in place of Maro Itoje, who is on the bench after attending his mother's funeral. George, who led the side in 2024, said: 'Brilliant and unexpected. I didn't ever see that happening again. It's a privilege. I love this job, it's the best thing in the world being able to do this. It's for one week and one week only so I'm making the most of it.'
England are heavy favourites against a crisis-hit Wales, with odds as short as 1/66. George acknowledged the pressure but insisted his team are embracing it: '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.'
