Kevin Sinfield compares injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to Jason Robinson

England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield has likened the national team’s winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to Rugby World Cup winner Jason Robinson. Since debuting against Italy in 2024, the 22-year-old has produced nine tries in 17 matches for his country.

Despite his scoring record, Feyi-Waboso has faced frequent injury setbacks. A shoulder issue kept him out of the 2025 Six Nations, while a hamstring problem forced him to miss the 2026 tournament. After scoring during summer victories over Fiji and Argentina, he sustained an ankle injury in the first half of Sunday’s 45-22 win against Australia, which has now ended his autumn campaign.

Sinfield, who competed against Robinson during their rugby league careers, said, "He is our Jason Robinson." The coach added, "When you have a player who is that explosive and that powerful sometimes a run of injuries just happens. He's across everything to do with his body and hopefully we get him back firing as soon as we can."

Regarding player management, Sinfield noted that cooperation with the winger's club, Exeter, remains vital. England holds primary authority over the conditioning of centrally-contracted players, though past tensions have existed. Relations have since improved, with England permitting Feyi-Waboso to play in the June Premiership final just three weeks after a facial fracture.

During Sunday’s match, Feyi-Waboso continued playing for a period after his 32nd-minute injury before being substituted at half-time. Sinfield explained that the medical student’s determination to continue influenced the coaching staff’s decision to keep him on the field. "It's getting the balance right, because the player is telling you he wants to try and run it off," Sinfield stated. "You can't scan anyone on the grass, so you're looking at it with your eyes. I think it's only right for us, as coaches, that we listen to players."

England faces Japan this Saturday without Ollie Chessum, George Furbank, and Seb Atkinson. Tom Curry has also been ruled out for the remainder of the autumn fixtures due to a recurring hip problem. Noah Caluori, the 20-year-old Saracens player who debuted against Fiji in July, has been selected as a replacement for Feyi-Waboso.