Nigerian-born England rugby international, Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Iyogun has reflected on his journey so far, then submitted that ‘challenges, injuries and difficult periods’ have shaped his growth as a professional player.
Sports247 reports that Iyogun, who was born in Spain to Nigerian parents but grew up in England, made his down-to-earth revelations a few minutes after he put pen to paper on a new contract with his club, Northampton Saints
Iyogun’s new contract takes the 25-year-old England prop, who got his Test debut in July, into the current rugby league champions’ players’ extension list alongside Tommy Freeman, Henry Pollock and Tom Pearson, who all earlier signed new deals with The Saints.
As he now braces for a new chapter at Franklin’s Gardens, The Saints’ academy product, who has 104 appearances across eight seasons for The Green, Black & Gold outfit, reflected on his journey so far, noting the hurdles he has scaled and promised to keep working harder than ever.
Iyogun said, “It doesn’t feel that long ago that I was playing for the under-18s, and now I’m sitting here with more than 100 senior appearances. I’ve loved every part of the journey.
“There have been challenges along the way, injuries and difficult periods, but those moments have shaped me as a player and person, and they make the good times even more rewarding.”
Sports247 gathered further that Iyogun, who was born in Madrid and raised in Basildon, initially played football before turning to rugby at the age of 14 and got his breakthrough in the game with Southend RFC.
He was soon spotted by The Saints’ scouts and entered the club in 2016, following which he made his under-18s debut a year later as a back-row forward, two years above his age group, but gained his England debut only recently.
