Late change for Poms
15 Jun 2012
New Zealand-born Thomas Waldrom will replace Phil Dowson on England’s bench for the second Test of the series against the Springboks.
Dowson is suffering from a tight hamstring sustained in training and it was decided not to risk him at Ellis Park. Waldrom was impressive against the SA Barbarians in Kimberley on Wednesday, and will add some punch to the gainline fight when he is introduced.
England – 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 David Strettle, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 Tom Johnson, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Joe Marler.
Subs: 16 Lee Mears, 17 Alex Corbisiero, 18 Tom Palmer, 19 Thomas Wadrom, 20 Lee Dickson, 21 Owen Farrell, 22 Alex Goode.

28 Comments
15 Jun 2012, 11:25 am
Good move… Waldron’s a good player…
15 Jun 2012, 11:38 am
@ufo(ufo)-1:
Ja, the funniest moment during the game between the English and the Baa Baa’s in Kimberley was when the 60 kg scrumhalf from the Baa Baa’s tried to stop Waldron going over for a try. Waldron just grabbed him in one hand and carried him over the line with the ball in the other hand. Luckily he remembered to slam the ball down for the try and not the scrumhalf.
15 Jun 2012, 11:47 am
@Robzim(Robzim)-2: Ha ha, you made my day.
Will go and look at the highlights
15 Jun 2012, 11:56 am
I know I’m running the “ebersohn risk” here, but is it the same guy that played for the Crusaders and the Hurricanes or are they brothers?
15 Jun 2012, 12:03 pm
@Beertjie(Beertjie)-4: Yup, the has a brother playing super rugby, they both used to play for Hurricans then this one moved to Crusdaers and then UK.
15 Jun 2012, 12:09 pm
@BreakdownBoy(goodstuff)-5: Thanks
Must say, this guy is the most unlikely looking 8thman i’ve seen, but he is very effective.
15 Jun 2012, 12:10 pm
does he still have a boepens?
capable player and has good feel for the game but not exceptional.
15 Jun 2012, 12:11 pm
Yep Scott and Thomas Waldrom I think Scott is at the chiefs now
15 Jun 2012, 12:12 pm
he’s a very very good ball carrier doesn’t look like the fastest guy but he has some wheels nothing like Spies but hell Spies shouldn’t be playing 8
15 Jun 2012, 12:17 pm
You don’t wanna meet this guy head on. If he catches you with one of those 4 chins your gonna be sleeping!
15 Jun 2012, 12:18 pm
@scrumfan(scrumfan)-10: Quality!
15 Jun 2012, 12:21 pm
@Beertjie(Beertjie)-4: His brother made the ABs but picked up an injury before playing a full test. Thomas was always stuck behind Sooialo and now Read so he probably knew he’s never make the ABs and left
15 Jun 2012, 12:35 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-7: Yes he does!!!!! He looks like a little Michelin Man (playing in those tight white tops doesn’t help his cause either).
15 Jun 2012, 12:39 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-7: and a huge double chin!
15 Jun 2012, 12:40 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-13: hahaha him and matt stevens always look comical in those “form-fitting” jumpers
15 Jun 2012, 12:43 pm
@scrumfan(scrumfan)-10: lol snap!
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-13: The black and red of the crusaders hid it nicely.
15 Jun 2012, 12:46 pm
Isnt his nickname Thomas the steam engine?
15 Jun 2012, 13:02 pm
Yeah always wondered whats up with that – how you can be an elite rugby player, have some decent speed and still be that fat??? Its insane – imagine what he would look like if he wasnt practicing??? It boggles the mind.
Expect John Smit to get like a balloon once he retires from rugby lol
15 Jun 2012, 13:08 pm
One of my favourite quotes of all time was by Os du Randt, something along the lines of “after the final whistle went in the WC Final I promised myself I would never run again!” I saw him a few months afterwards at Kingswood golf club tucking into approximately 4kg’s of slapchips, he’d probably already finished the cow. what a legend.
15 Jun 2012, 13:09 pm
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-18: fark me, i saw nemia tialata in those baabas games, yho!!!!! the guy has gone morbidly obese…nee
15 Jun 2012, 13:22 pm
hehe
he’s a rugby version of frankensteins monster with ollie’s upper body, john’s lower body, tiaan’s face, ashley’s legs and somebody’s mystery hair..?..
15 Jun 2012, 13:28 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-20: lol yeah – not a good situation if your big already and training heavily cos when you stop the pounds start creeping on
15 Jun 2012, 13:35 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-16: @Transformation(Transformation)-15: Yes, the colour and fit of a jumper either flatters or splatters those with a plus size model’s physique.
15 Jun 2012, 13:38 pm
thomas waldrom could cause some serious headaches for the Boks. he always a powerful fast runner, hope he makes the most of the moment and dosent get overawed and bow to the senior players. make the most of ur chances thomo, treat it like its ur last.
15 Jun 2012, 13:47 pm
Oi vey, a couple of good runs against all the Kings’ carthorses and all the Kings’ journeymen and we’re blowing smoke up this tubby palooka’s bum?
15 Jun 2012, 15:14 pm
Saffas, New Zealanders, Samoans…
Might be time to change the English team’s name to the Barbarians.
15 Jun 2012, 18:04 pm
Rated this guy as a better number eight than Rodney Sooialo, and a better all round rugby player. Unlucky to miss AB selection, he will play a wider ranging game, maybe crashing it through 10-12 channel. Momentum builder.
15 Jun 2012, 19:49 pm
@CSI:Rugby(CSI:Rugby)-27:
> Momentum builder.
Good, we only have a bodybuilder at no 8
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