A graduate of Northampton Saints’ Academy, Emmanuel Iyogun joined the Club full-time at the start of the 2019/20 season.
Born in Madrid and raised in Basildon, Iyogun initially pursued football before discovering rugby at the age of 14. His natural talent quickly shone through, and after joining Southend RFC, he caught the eye of Northampton’s scouts. He entered Saints’ Academy set-up in 2016 and made his debut for the Under-18s a year later as a back row forward – playing two years above his age group.
Upon signing his first professional contract, Iyogun made a significant positional switch from back row to loosehead prop. He was thrown in at the deep end during his first season, making his senior debut at just 19 years old amid an injury crisis in the front row. His resilience and maturity earned him a starting spot the very next weekend in the Champions Cup quarter-final against Exeter Chiefs.
Iyogun’s standout performances in his debut campaign saw him named Saints' Breakthrough Player of the Season. He continued his development with valuable game time at Bedford Blues, Saints’ partner club in the Championship.
The 2021/22 season marked Iyogun’s emergence as a first-team regular, featuring in 20 matches, including the Premiership semi-final against Leicester Tigers.
In 2023/24, he scored his first try in Saints colours against Gloucester Rugby and played a key role in the Club’s run to both the Champions Cup semi-finals and the Premiership Final. Iyogun came off the bench in the Final to help secure a 25–21 victory over Bath – Northampton’s first major trophy in a decade.
Iyogun enjoyed his most active season to date in 2024/25, making 23 appearances and starting every match in Saints’ Champions Cup campaign, which culminated in a first appearance in the Final since 2011.
On the international stage, Iyogun rose through England’s age-grade ranks, representing the Under-20s during the 2020 Six Nations. He earned his first senior call-up for England’s tour of New Zealand in July 2024, and later featured for England A in a win over Australia A that November. In 2025, he was named in the senior England squad for their summer tour of Argentina and the USA.
