| Birth name | Afolabi Fasogbon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (2004-08-24)24 August 2004 (age 20) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Surrey, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 137 kg (21 st 8 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | The Bishop Wand Church of England School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Afolabi Fasogbon (born 24 August 2004) is an English professionalrugby union player who plays as aprop forward forGallagher Premiership clubGloucester.[1]
Despite showing promise from a young age with bothGloucester andEngland A, he first gained media attention for his confident attitude when facing more experienced opposition, waving offEngland internationalEllis Genge as he was being substituted in a fixture againstBristol Bears before shushingNorthampton Saints propTom West after winning a penalty against him. Despite this, friends and teammates have made it clear his on-field personality is very different from his off-field one.[1]
Fasogbon's Nigerian parents grew up inLagos before emigrating toEngland.[2] He attendedSt Marys and St Johns COFE School inBarnet.[2] Despite not playing rugby union until he was at under-14 level, he joined the London Irish Academy at 15 years-old, having previously represented Saracens Amateur RFC.[3][4]
Fasogbon signed on as a professional with London Irish ahead of the 2022–23 season.[5] In September 2022 he made his debut for London Irish againstHarlequins in thePremiership Rugby Cup.[6]
Fasogbon also played forEsher inNational League 1 on loan. On his first XV debut he scored a try againstCinderford atMolesey Road in October 2022.[7]
After London Irish entered administration it was announced in June 2023 that Fasogbon had joined Gloucester.[8] During his time at Gloucester, Fasogbon went on loan toBirmingham Moseley Rugby inNational League One and on the 17th February 2024 made his debut for them againstDarlington Mowden Park R.F.C. amassing 1 appearance for the sidehttps://moseleyrugby.co.uk/season/2023-24/bm-v-dmp/
In August 2021 Fasogbon earned his onlyEngland U18 cap in a match againstItaly U18.[7] He representedEngland U20 during the2023 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and on 10 February 2023 scored his only try at international youth level in a 35–25 victory overItaly.[9] Later that year he was a member of the side that finished fourth at the2023 World Rugby U20 Championship.[10]
Fasogbon made his only appearance of the2024 Six Nations Under 20s Championship againstScotland as England went on to win the competition.[11] He was included in their squad for the2024 World Rugby U20 Championship and started in the final as England defeatedFrance atCape Town Stadium to become junior world champions.[12][13]
In November 2024 Fasogbon played forEngland A in a victory overAustralia A.[14][15]