Coveted Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will attend an England camp this week, handing Wales a Six Nations snub.
The in-form 21-year-old has represented Wales at age-grade level and was tipped for a senior call-up to Warren Gatland’s squad.
Feyi-Waboso would be ineligible for Wales in the long-term without a move back to a Welsh region, as the nation only selects players based outside of the country with 25 or more caps.
The former Wasps star is reading medicine at Exeter University, and is understood not to want to disrupt his studies with a club move.
Feyi-Waboso was born and raised in Cardiff but was not accepted to the city university’s medicine programme on leaving school.
He won a place at Aston University and made the switch to Wasps, whereupon the stricken club’s fall into administration left both of his main career aspirations in jeopardy.
The talented try-scorer managed to secure a switch of his university studies to Exeter, to sit alongside his move to the Chiefs.
Feyi-Waboso is understood to be happy in Exeter and is not thought to want to disrupt his medical aspirations any further.
England boss Steve Borthwick took the unusual step of volunteering to namecheck Feyi-Waboso last week when discussing form players with a chance of Six Nations duty.
Now Feyi-Waboso's decision to accept an invitation to England’s pre-Six Nations camp has struck a blow for Wales.
England may yet choose not to select Feyi-Waboso for senior duty, but Borthwick must find wing replacements for the retired Jonny May and Henry Arundell, who is ineligible after opting to stay for two more years at Racing 92.
England could also still secure Feyi-Waboso by selecting him for the 'A' team fixture against Portugal at Welford Road in February, however.
England boss Borthwick will hold four regional camps this week, to meet players in with a strong chance of Six Nations selection.
Borthwick will name his Six Nations squad on January 17, appointing his new captain at the same time.
Owen Farrell’s decision to step back from Test duty for at least the Six Nations and probably beyond leaves a vacancy for a new skipper.
Bristol prop Ellis Genge, Saracens forwards Jamie George and Maro Itoje and Sale fly-half George Ford are the main candidates to take the armband.
England will start their Six Nations campaign by facing Italy in Rome on February 3.
