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Ojo asks one thing of England after Feyi-Waboso’s call-up
By Chris Jones
Former England wing Topsy Ojo is calling on head coach Steve Borthwick to give Immanuel Feyi-Waboso a chance to showcase his raw talent in the Guinness Six Nations championship to ensure he can be a force at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Uncapped Feyi-Waboso, who is also qualified for Wales, has been drafted into Borthwick’s Six Nations squad after a series of sensational performances for Exeter Chiefs, but there will be concerns the wing could suffer the same fate as Adam Radwan, the Newcastle Falcons speedster, who was picked and then quickly discarded by Eddie Jones in favour of more established options.
Ojo, who is now a leading television pundit, accepts that Feyi-Waboso will need to prove himself in England’s training camp in the build-up to the Six Nations opener with Italy on February 3, but said: “If Feyi-Waboso is going to be there in Australia in 2027 then his journey is starting now and it is a case of what do we need to see and how do we expose him. All you want is for him to be given a fair opportunity to showcase what when he can do and then it is a case of how he matures and keeps adding to his game.
“The first thing will be to see what he looks like in an England camp, being coached by the England coaches working with other players from different clubs. Then it is about how Steve (Borthwick) exposes Feyi-Waboso to Test rugby. He has played just 15 senior games and shown that he is a player with potential who we can work with and if he is ready to be selected then you have to give him the opportunity to learn, to develop and fail I guess, but also back him.
“It may be a case then of we have had a look at you in camp and don’t feel you are quite ready and so go back to Exeter and work on these things and get yourself ready for the summer tour. That may be his development. The priority is to get a team to win against Italy in Rome and long term there will be a vision and the aim will be to get the majority of these guys ready for the next Rugby World Cup.”
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The following players need to be dropped in 2025: Papilii, Blackadder, Jacobson, ALB, Havili, Reese, Tele’a, and Perofeta.
All are in their late 20s or older and have proven in 2024 they are simply not good enough to be a quality test starter. It is shocking how BOTH Reese and Tele’a have lost their pace. Tele’a is a shell of the player he was in 2023. Perofeta has never fulfilled his promise as either a 10 or 15. This generation’s Isaiah Toeava.
Have no clue who should replace these players at this time but confident that new players will step up in Super Rugby.
Go to comments"Barrett out of position" is a strange thing to say when overall he has played more games at 15 than at 12. I agree with the statement you made in your first comment - he's a great addition and Leinster's attack will be better with him.
Regarding ST's defence - they have conceded the fewest in the Top14 this season.
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