Tom Johnson to make his debut against South Africa – Rugby News Update
Tom Johnson, the 29-year-old Exeter Chiefs' and now England's back-row will make his debut against South Africa in the first test at Durban, on Saturday, June 9.
England is currently touring South Africa to play a three-match test series against the Springboks, along with playing two other midweek games.
Johnson will become the first Devon club player to make an England debut since 1964 and the first person to congratulate him was his coach, Rob Baxter.
Johnson said, "Rob Baxter has texted me and he was one of the first people I told. He said it was well deserved and just told me to go out and try and enjoy it."
Johnson plays for the Exeter Chiefs in the Aviva Premiership, the top tier of rugby in England. He joined the club in 2010, following stints at Reading and Coventry. It is a remarkable rise for a player, who was contemplating that he should give up rugby.
He has played 44 games for the Chiefs, starting 41 of those games and coming on as a substitute a further 3 times. Johnson has scored 40 points for the club, and their win-loss ratio is 50% with the back-row in the team.
Speaking about his rise in the game, and playing for England, the player recalled his interview with the Army and joining the forces.
"I remember when I was deciding to go to rugby or the Army - the Paras - and in their interview they said, 'Do you think you would make a professional rugby player?'" Johnson said. "I said I probably wouldn't, and the Army was probably more realistic. But
here I am. That was when I was 22 - seven years ago."
With Tom Wood, Tom Croft and Calum Clark not part of the squad, it has opened the opportunity for Johnson to start at the blindside. The back-row however, has started for England against the Barbarians but this will be his first full international cap.
Johnson will be looking to emulate his form from the domestic season onto the international stage, and help his team achieve victory against the formidable southern hemisphere opponents.
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