Feyi-Waboso to miss Toulouse trip as England await hamstring recovery

Manny Feyi-Waboso will miss Exeter’s opening Champions Cup pool match at Toulouse on Saturday after suffering a hamstring problem, but the initial assessment has offered encouragement for England. The Guardian reported on Wednesday that scans had found no major damage, leaving the 23-year-old winger on course for international duty next month rather than facing a confirmed lengthy absence.

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Feyi-Waboso sustained the injury while playing against Newcastle on Sunday. Medical teams from both Exeter and England have reviewed his scan, and Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter said the information he had received from his physiotherapists did not indicate a long-term problem. England open their Nations Championship campaign against Australia on 8 November, although his availability for that match is not yet guaranteed.

Baxter said an England physiotherapist had also visited to assess the winger. He stressed that a scan was only one part of the assessment: the player’s symptoms and movement could tell a different story. Feyi-Waboso will rest this week, with Baxter warning that continued discomfort next Monday would change the discussion over how to manage his return.

The situation requires coordination between a club seeking his involvement in important fixtures and an England setup preparing for its autumn programme. Baxter indicated that, on the medical advice available so far, extensive intervention might not be necessary. His comments nevertheless left the timing of a comeback dependent on how Feyi-Waboso responds during the coming days.

That caution follows an earlier injury-management difficulty involving the centrally contracted England player. According to the Guardian, a proposed shoulder operation was delayed early last year, and a recurrence subsequently kept him out for the remainder of that season. Baxter is hoping the current hamstring issue produces a better outcome for both club and country.

Feyi-Waboso has scored nine England tries since his debut in the 2024 Six Nations. His recent contributions include a try against Argentina in Santiago del Estero in July and two against Bath this month. He also played in last season’s Premiership final with a plate in his jaw. For now, his absence at Toulouse is settled, while his prospects for England remain encouraging but conditional on recovery.