Exeter Chiefs winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso says he is living a real-life fairytale at the moment after helping England to a stunning 23-22 win over Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.
And it is easy to see why. A year ago the 21-year medical student was playing in the third tier of English club rugby for Taunton Titans having been sent out on loan by his new club side Exeter, having only recently made the move to Devon after his previous club Wasps went into administration to turn his life upside down. A year on, Feyi-Waboso is playing a pivotal role in beating an Ireland side billed as potentially the best team in the world right now.
READ MORE: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso helps spark England's attack in famous win over Ireland
Talking to DevonLive outside the changing rooms at Twickenham, with songs from the celebrating players leaking out the doors every time they swung open, the very grounded Feyi-Waboso said: “It’s been crazy. When I first joined Chiefs last year they said ‘ok we’ll put you on loan, you’re in Nat 1 with Taunton’. I needed to find my way into that team, preseason with Chiefs this summer I had to find my way into that team. I found my way into Chiefs, and then you’re into the next step up quite quickly. I feel like, I don’t know how many games I’ve played for Chiefs, 18 is it. It doesn’t feel like that, that actually feels like quite a lot! You need to try to make your way into the England squad; it’s tough but I like it. It’s good.”
Ireland, who looked to be marching towards back-to-back Grand Slams before Marcus Smith struck his drop goal in the 80th minute on Saturday, came into the game as heavy favourites but Feyi-Waboso said that galvanised this England squad. He said: “I feel like everyone counted us out, but that’s when we thrived. The results speak for themselves.” And so they do, with England sitting second in the congested table with one game to go.
There is a lovable freshness and understandably slight naivety to Feyi-Waboso who has yet to feel the weight of the England jersey on his back. And well he should, while Danny Care was making his 100th international cap on Saturday having made his professional debut for Leeds in 2003, the year England won the Rugby World Cup, Feyi-Waboso reminds us he was just one year old at the time.
The chartered slights, five-star hotels, incredible food and world-class training facilities are still a source of excitement and delight for him. Summing up his first start in the Six Nations having made his England debut in the opening 27-24 victory away in Italy last month and with France in Lyon to come next weekend, Feyi-Waboso said: “Even now it’s a fairytale. My first start, a huge win against Ireland. Marcus coming back from injury, a huge drop-goal win. Danny Care on his 100th, a huge win. It’s a fairytale for a lot of us I think, but it’s class.
“The whole experience was crazy, the ups and downs, hearing ‘Swing Low’ in the stadium. I didn’t think you’d hear it because you’re in the zone but during breaks in play, it’s crazy when you hear that. I think I had goosebumps on the pitch when I heard that. It does get you up. It felt like we were in control of that game. It was just amazing.”
Hailed as ‘a special player’ after the match by his captain Jamie George, Feyi-Waboso now looks set to start for England in France on Saturday and is already focusing on going one better than against Ireland on a personal note and getting over the whitewash for a try. That is after all the secret, never be satisfied and keep chasing being better. Feyi-Waboso has certainly got a winner's attitude and looks set to return to club duty after next weekend having had a supreme education in world-class rugby.