ENGLAND Rugby head coach Steve Borthwick insists player welfare remains his ‘top priority’ as he rejected claims from Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, that Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s shoulder surgery was delayed because there were no RFU medics on duty over Christmas.
The highly-rated Feyi-Waboso has not played since dislocating his shoulder for the Chiefs in their Gallagher Premiership fixture against Sale Sharks on December 21.
In his weekly media briefing, Baxter stated that the 22-year-old winger had been booked in for surgery 10 days after the sustaining the injury, but that there was no decision made on whether to proceed due to the absence of England medical staff over the festive period.
On Wednesday night, Borthwick hit back at those remarks in an eruption of club verus country hostilities.
“England medics in fact maintained regular communication with Exeter regarding Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, immediately after his injury, through the Christmas period and further into the new year,” said Borthwick.
“As you would expect, this is all documented. It would therefore be unfair to question their work ethic, or the level of care provided to the player. We would have loved to have had Manny with us during the Six Nations and we’re eager to see him back on the field as soon possible.
“Player welfare is our top priority. England have a world-class medical team that cares deeply about the players they look after.”
Feyi-Waboso is one of 17 players who have signed enhanced Elite Player Squad contracts, giving the RFU final say over medical matters under the terms of the new Professional Game Partnership (PGP).
Baxter had earlier remarked: “Everyone’s agreed that the whole scenario around how things have worked needs to be discussed post Six Nations on how things should happen and how they should work going forward.
“If someone gets injured before Christmas and he’s only having an operation now, then somewhere in the process something's gone wrong hasn't it?
“He had two scans and an operation was decided upon initially 10 days post the injury, which would make him fit now.
“I think that’s the frustration - I think everyone can understand the various bits and pieces which led to some of the delays and that ended up being the rehab decision being the more sensible one.
“Ultimately now it doesn’t look like the sensible one because the shoulder clearly needed an operation.”
The delay in surgery for Feyi-Waboso means he is now in a race against time to put himself in the frame for potential selection for this summer’s British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.
Baxter, though, insists he should still be considered a potential candidate, adding: “There often seems to be in a Lions year someone that comes in a little bit out of nowhere, they've either been injured or not quite broken through.
“He’s going to be there or thereabouts with a shot of getting in there at some stage, but all we can do is work hard with him now.
“He’ll be very focused on giving himself the best opportunity - bigger picture and longer term he's probably having the right treatment now that will look after him for a longer period of time rather than potentially leaving him with a grumbling shoulder that can last two or three years.”
Over the past two tours for the Lions, the Chiefs have seen five players – Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jonny Hill, Stuart Hogg, Jack Nowell and Sam Simmonds – all feature.