Martin Johnson names Thomas Waldrom as replacement for injured Nick Easter in England squad
The English national Rugby Union team’s head coach and manager, Martin Johnson, has named Thomas Waldrom as a replacement for the injured Nick Easter in England’s 30-man squad for their 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) campaign. The governing body of Rugby Union
in England, Rugby Football Union (RFU) has confirmed Waldrom’s inclusion in the England’s RWC squad in a statement released on their website on Monday, September 19.
RFU has quoted Johnson as saying, “Nick Easter is still suffering from a sore back so we will be bringing Thomas out as temporary cover.”
The New Zealand born Waldrom started his professional Rugby Union career in New Zealand. He made his professional rugby debut with New Zealand Rugby Union’s provincial side Wellington in 2001. He made 80 appearances for Wellington in the Air New Zealand
cup. In 2009, he joined Hawke’s Bay, where he remained until 2010.
The 28-year-old Waldrom made his Super Rugby debut for Hurricanes in 2004. He made 30 appearances for the Hurricanes and scored 25 point for them. At the end of the 2008 season, he announced his move to join the Crusaders. The player made his debut for the
Crusaders during the 2009 season. During his two-season stay at the Crusaders, Waldrom made 26 appearances for the New Zealand Super Rugby Franchise.
In 2010, Waldrom announced his plans to move to the Northern Hemisphere, where he will join the Aviva Premiership side Leicester Tigers. His impressive performance for the Tigers in both domestic and European competition earned him a selection in the Johnson’s
45-man preliminary RWC training squad.
Tiger number eight, Waldrom, qualifies to play for the England, through his grandmother. He will join the rest of the squad in New Zealand on Wednesday, 21 September.
Besides this, England is yet to name the replacement for the injured prop, Andrew Sheridan. Following his tournament ending shoulder injury, Sheridan has went back home to recover.
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