England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield compared winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to Rugby World Cup winner Jason Robinson after the player suffered an autumn-ending ankle injury during a win over Australia.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has scored nine tries in 17 appearances for England since making his Test debut against Italy in 2024. However, injuries have repeatedly checked his progress with the national team. He missed the 2025 Six Nations with a shoulder injury, and his 2026 tournament ended due to a hamstring tear sustained in training before England faced Wales.
After returning this summer to score in wins over Fiji and Argentina, the Exeter wing suffered his latest setback in the first half against Australia at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. Robinson earned 28 tries in 51 appearances for England between 2001 and 2007 before tearing his hamstring in the Rugby World Cup final defeat by South Africa.
He is our Jason Robinson. When you have a player who is that explosive and that powerful sometimes a run of injuries just happens. He’s across everything to do with his body and hopefully we get him back firing as soon as we can.
Kevin Sinfield, assistant coach
Feyi-Waboso sustained his ankle injury in the 32nd minute against the Wallabies. He hobbled his way to half-time before being replaced, an extension on the pitch that Sinfield said was swayed by the player’s desire to run off the issue.
It’s getting the balance right, because the player is telling you he wants to try and run it off. You can’t scan anyone on the grass, so you’re looking at it with your eyes. I think it’s only right for us, as coaches, that we listen to players.
Kevin Sinfield, assistant coach
England holds the final say over the fitness and conditioning of centrally contracted players such as Feyi-Waboso, who is studying medicine. While past disagreements with Exeter over his treatment occurred, relations improved when England signed off on his return for June’s Premiership final only three weeks after he suffered a facial fracture. Sinfield emphasized that ongoing cooperation between England and Feyi-Waboso’s club Exeter remains essential given the heavy playing load.
Feyi-Waboso joins a growing injury list for England ahead of their match against Japan. Ollie Chessum, George Furbank, and Seb Atkinson will miss the fixture, while flanker Tom Curry has been ruled out for the entire autumn campaign due to an aggravated hip issue. Saracens’ 20-year-old Noah Caluori has been called up to replace Feyi-Waboso.
Sinfield was recently knighted for his services to rugby and motor neurone disease (MND) charity work following the death of his former Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow from MND in June 2024 at age 41. Sinfield has raised more than £13m for disease support and research, completing seven ultra marathons in seven days last month before planning another fundraising run in New Zealand and Australia in late May.
It’s been a great journey and it’s important we continue because there’s no cure. We’ve got to carry on.
Kevin Sinfield, assistant coach
The coach emphasized the importance of his ongoing fundraising efforts and the need to support those affected by the disease.
