Emmanuel Iyogun
Emmanuel started playing Rugby at Woodlands School and was a part of the Rugby EPD Programme, when it was in it’s infancy. Emmanuel also played for Basildon RFC when in his youth before gaining a scholarship at St. Joseph’s College, Ipswich and in Northampton Saints’ pathway.
Working his way through Saints' Junior Academy ranks, Emmanuel Iyogun joined Northampton Saints full-time when he signed to the Senior Academy ahead of the 2019/20 season.
The versatile forward established himself in Black, Green and Gold quickly, playing two years above his age when he made his Under-18s debut for Saints in 2017 before transitioning from back row to front row.
From there, the young prop has gone from strength to strength and earned international recognition in 2019 – featuring for England Under-20s throughout their Six Nations campaign that year.
After a string of impressive performances for Wanderers and Saints' side at the Premiership Rugby 7s in 2019, Iyogun was thrown in at the deep end when front-row injuries saw him make his senior debut in 2020 aged just 19-years-old; but Iyogun's resilience shone through despite his age and earned him a place in the starting line-up the following weekend for Saints' Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Exeter Chiefs.
Those stand-out efforts would earn Iyogun the Club's Breakthrough Player of the Season award at the close of the 2019/20 campaign before he gained experience on dual registration with Bedford Blues the following season.
The 2021/22 season saw Iyogun become more regularly involved at first-team level, as he made 20 appearances in helping Saints qualify for the Gallagher Premiership play-offs.