England’s Feyi-Waboso in dilemma over surgery for sake of Lions ambitions
Share:
England’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is still in two minds about whether to undergo a shoulder operation that could impact his chances of representing the British & Irish Lions later this year. The Exeter wing is scheduled to have surgery next week which would rule him out of the entire Six Nations and complicate his dream of touring Australia with the Lions this summer.
Rob Baxter, Exeter’s director of rugby, says the 22-year-old has not yet ruled out postponing the operation and keeping his fingers crossed that he can avoid recurring shoulder issues for the remainder of this season. A decision will need to be taken imminently, however, with Baxter suggesting extensive discussions between club and country are already delaying the recovery process.
If he has an operation next week on the shoulder he dislocated against Sale last month, Feyi-Waboso could be back playing again within three months, with plenty of time to prove his fitness, if selected, for the Lions who depart in June. That scenario, however, would rule him out of England’s Six Nations campaign and reduce his top-level opportunities to impress the Lions head coach, Andy Farrell.
“Basically he’s got an operation date booked in but until that operation happens he’s still working very hard rehabbing his shoulder,” revealed Baxter. “That will ultimately decide whether the operation happens or Manny feels he has got himself to a position where the rehab is going sufficiently well the operation doesn’t occur. It’s booked to happen but he’s not actually on the operating table yet.
