Leicester Tigers' Thomas Waldrom wins Rugby Players' Association Player of the Year award
Thomas Waldrom, who parted ways this year from New Zealand’s Super Rugby derby Crusaders, has won the Rugby Players'
Association Player of the Year award. The chief executive of Tigers, Peter Wheeler, collected the award in a ceremony held in London, on May 26, on the behalf of Waldrom.
The former Crusader won the title for his brilliant output in the current Aviva Premiership tournament. Waldrom guided his side, Leicester Tigers, into the final of Premiership Rugby to face Saracens on May 29.
Waldrom started off his rugby career in New Zealand, playing for Wellington Lions in 2001, before joining Super Rugby teams, Hurricanes and Crusaders. He played four years for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby format from 2004-08 and then joined the Crusaders
in 2009. He took a further step this year, before the start of Super Rugby season, and signed with the Leicester Tigers to play Aviva Premiership Rugby.
His team-mate, Manu Tuilagi, grabbed the Young Player of the Year award and made the ceremony memorable for his side. The pair has thus levelled the record of their former team-mates Harry Ellis and Martin Corry, who collected both awards in 2005. The Leicester
Tigers have shown great enthusiasm for achieving big milestones.
Waldrom outclassed Harlequins’ fly-half Nick Evans and England’s winger Chris Ashton in the Player of the Year award. On the other hand, Tuilagi won the Young Player of the Year award, beating Saracens’ Owen Farrell at the polls.
Waldrom was exuberant at winning the accolade and said, “It's amazing to be seen in the same league as a player like Nick Evans who was also on the shortlist. I personally voted for Tom Wood. He puts in a tremendous amount of work and I think he's had a
wonderful season.”
He further stated that, "When I first arrived here my expectations were to play a few games here and there, but due to a few injuries I got a run of games and was able to build on that."
However, Tigers other award winning player, Tuilagi, expressed his mixed emotions of sorrow and pleasure. He will be unable to participate in the final of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Championship following a one-match ban by the union. He was banned after
punching Chris Ashton in the semi-final of the championship.
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