Feyi-Waboso ankle injury: Exeter boss hopes damage is not serious
Exeter boss Rob Baxter hopes the ankle injury suffered by England's Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is not too serious. The 23-year-old was forced off at half-time in England's 45-22 Nations Championship win over Australia at Twickenham on Sunday.
The injury has ended his involvement with England for the rest of the autumn international period, the block of Tests played in November. Coaches often use that phrase when a player is out for the remaining matches in the window, and this one is no different.
There is some encouragement, though. Baxter told BBC Sport that the balance of opinion at Exeter and England is that Feyi-Waboso is unlikely to need an operation. He could also be back playing for Exeter before the end of the year.
Baxter explained the likely timescale. A decent high ankle sprain, which is an injury to the strong ligaments that bind the two lower leg bones above the ankle joint, would need a minimum of four to six weeks to recover from. That is a longer road than the usual twisted ankle, which is why the medical team will look closely at the damage before deciding anything.
Feyi-Waboso is due to meet a surgeon on Thursday to review his scans. A recovery plan will be drawn up after that meeting, and that is when a clearer picture of his return should emerge.
For Exeter, the hope is that a precise diagnosis brings good news. For England, the focus now shifts to the rest of the autumn schedule without one of their wide-running attacking options. Hmm, I should not describe position.
