The 21-year-old came to rugby via an unusual route, but it is one that may soon see him in the England squad
T
o announce Afo Fasogbon as English rugby’s next big thing is not entirely accurate. He may be big – 6ft 4in tall and about 130kg (20st 6lb) – but as far as the internet is concerned he arrived some time ago. Video footage of the young Gloucester prop waving off the more experienced Ellis Genge after edging a scrummaging duel at Kingsholm last year went viral almost before Genge had reached the touchline.
Should the 21-year-old make a strong impact off the bench against Munster in Cork on Saturday evening, however, he could soon be vying for even greater recognition. England are suddenly lighter in the tighthead department after Will Stuart’s unfortunate achilles injury, with Asher Opoku-Fordjour also out of action. If Leicester’s Joe Heyes so much as breaks a fingernail, alarm bells will start ringing at Twickenham.
Northampton’s Trevor Davison could plug a short-term gap but, at some point, the power-packed Fasogbon will inevitably enter the conversation. Last month in the gym he set a new weight-training personal best – three back squat reps of 225kg – and he is not short on personality either. “My mates would say I’m pretty wired. I love a laugh, I love a bit of banter,” he says. “They’d also say I’m quite chilled off the pitch – until it’s time to go to work.” Anything else? “They’d say I’m pretty loud as well.”
