- Tom Palmer (rugby player)
Infobox Rugby biography
name = Tom Palmer
birthname = Tom Palmer
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1979|3|27
placeofbirth =Harringay ,London ,England
height = height|ft=6|in=6
weight = 18 st 2 lb (115 kg)
nickname =
school = Boroughmuir SchoolOtago Boys' High School
university = Leeds University
relatives =
ru_position = Lock
currentclub =London Wasps
clubnumber = 4
ru_amateuryears =
ru_youthclubs = Barnet
Boroughmuir
ru_clubyears = 1997 ‐ 06
2006 ‐
ru_proclubs =Leeds Tykes London Wasps
ru_clubcaps = 188
ru_clubpoints = (100)
ru_nationalyears =
2001 ‐
ru_nationalteam =England Saxons
England
ru_nationalcaps =
10 (0)
ru_nationalpoints =
pcupdate =
repupdate =Tom Palmer (born
27 March 1979 inHarringay , London) is an Englishrugby union footballer. He is a lock.He started playing mini rugby at age five with the Barnet club but and spent his early years in
Kenya . He moved toEdinburgh with his family, where he played for Boroughmuir School until he was 16 and for the Boroughmuir club itself. After his A levels Tom deferred his place at the Leeds University for a year while he went toNew Zealand . He spent 18 months atOtago Boys' High School , where he played for New Zealand Schoolboys before returning to the UK to start a degree course in physics at Leeds University.Spotted by
Phil Davies in his first game for Leeds University, he joined Leeds Tykes in1997 and played forLeeds Tykes U19s during his first year at college. He also won selection for the Scotland U19 and U21 sides. He then studied part time when he was drafted into the first team squad in September1998 . He became the Tykes first England international and the club's second longest serving player afterMike Shelley .Tom made his debut against Blackheath on 2nd September
1998 , making a total of 10 appearances for the Tykes during his first season when they finished in 6th place in National Division 2. Tom became a regular first team player during the 99-00 season, missing only 4 games throughout the season. The most notable game for Tom was against Worcester in November1999 when he scored his first try in the 20-9 win at Headingley.In the
2000 -2001 season the Tykes finished top of Division 1. Tom again played an important role in the side, making a total 20 appearances and scoring 8 tries. In the Tetley’s Bitter Cup competition in October Palmer was one of nine try scorers who helped the Tykes to a magnificent 100-0 win over Morely.He earned a place in the England A squad whilst still playing in National Division One and was then rewarded with a place on the Summer tour to North America in
2001 and has been a regular A member ever since. After appearing in the midweek sides, he won his first senior cap as a replacement forSteve Borthwick in the final 10 minutes of England’s victory over the US Eagles in San Francisco on 16 June2001 .In the Tykes first season in the Premiership Tom began in his now regular central role, making 15 appearances, however during in the game between England A and Wales A Tom broke his leg. The injury meant that the loss against
Northampton Saints in March was the last game he featured in during the season.Palmer was back to full fitness for the start of the
2002 -2003 season and did not miss a game for the Tykes during the entireZurich Premiership campaign. In the summer of 2003 he was selected for England’s summer tour to New Zealand and then joined up with theChurchill Cup squad in Canada, only to pick up a serious knee injury that took six months to put right.Once Tom had regained full fitness he rejoined the Tykes in January during the 3-27 loss against the Saracens. Tom became one of four players to have ever played 100 games for the Tykes, he also became the club's youngest captain and collected a
Powergen Cup winners medal. In March2004 he was vice captain toMike Catt in the England A side narrowly defeated 22-26 by France A.Tom joined
London Wasps in the summer of2006 afterLeeds Tykes were relegated from the Premiership, and quickly became the first choice lock. He went on to claim the Heineken Cup with Wasps, as well as looking to have secured a place in the World Cup squad with England. Overall, he made 188 appearances at Leeds between1998 and 2006 scoring 20 tries.He was called into the
England Saxons side that defeated Ireland A on1 February 2008 . cite web|url=http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=18739|title=England Saxons squad for Ireland A match|publisher=RFU|date=2008-01-23|accessdate=2008-02-03] cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7217616.stm|title=Varndell shines in Saxons victory|publisher=BBC|date=2008-02-02|accessdate=2008-02-03]References
External links
* [http://www.leedscarnegie.co.uk/index_8CC5CD42CAB9401CA97ABFF4B99EDCCC.htm Leeds profile]
* [http://www.wasps.co.uk/playerdisplaySS.ink?skip=18&season=07/08&seasonl=2007/2008&playertype=P Wasps profile]
* [http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=5914 England profile]
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