Tom West (born 11 February 1996) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a loosehead prop,[1] for Northampton Saints in Premiership Rugby. He previously played for Leicester Tigers and Wasps, also in Premiership Rugby.[2]
Birth name | Thomas Henry West | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 11 February 1996 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Diss, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 117 kg (18 st 6 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Radley College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Club career
editWest worked his way through Wasps’ Junior Academy while a pupil at Radley College prior to joining the Senior Academy in 2015.[3][4] He made his club debut in an Anglo-Welsh Cup game at Sale Sharks, and his Premiership debut at home to Saracens in January 2018.[5][6]
Despite making his league debut for Wasps in the 2017/18 season, West would spend the best part of two seasons on loan at Championship side Nottingham, making only twelve first team appearances across three seasons heading into the 2019/20 campaign.[7] He started in the 2020 Premiership Final as Wasps finished runners up to Exeter Chiefs.[8]
Wasps entered administration on 17 October 2022 and West was made redundant along with all other players and coaching staff.[9] On 19 January 2023 he was signed by Leicester Tigers until the end of the 2022-23 season.[2]
On 8 April 2023, West signed for Premiership rivals Saracens ahead of the 2023-24 season.[10] On 8 May 2024, West would leave Saracens to sign for rivals Northampton Saints ahead of the 2024-25 season.[11]
International career
editWest participated in the 2015 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and 2016 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.[12][13] He was a member of the England under-20 team that hosted the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship and featured as a second-half replacement in the final as the hosts defeated Ireland to become junior world champions.[14]
In January 2021 West received a call-up to the senior England squad prior to the 2021 Six Nations, after prop Joe Marler withdrew from the group for family reasons.[15][16]
References
edit- ^ "Tom West". ESPN. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ a b "Tom West: Leicester Tigers sign former Wasps prop until end of season". BBC Sport. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ "Tom West". Wasps RFC. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
- ^ Richardson, Charles (7 January 2021). "Prop Idol – How Wasps' visit to Bath will give a glimpse into England's front-row strength-in-depth". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ "Tom West - Extends Contract". Wasps RFC. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
- ^ Bridge, Bobby (24 February 2022). "Wasps prop Tom West agrees contract extension: 'Club that is very close to my heart'". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ Bridge, Bobby (27 November 2020). "'Hard thing to do' - West reveals mental battle he overcame at Wasps". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
- ^ Pilnick, Brent (24 October 2020). "Premiership Final: Exeter beat Wasps 19-13 to secure historic double". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ Bridge, Bobby (17 October 2022). "Wasps' administration confirmed as 167 employees made redundant". CoventryLive. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ "Tom West signs for Saracens". Saracens. 8 April 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Saracens prop Tom West signs for Premiership rivals". Rugby Pass. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "England 61-0 Italy". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ Webb, Nick (11 March 2016). "Six Nations: England U20 16-42 Wales U20". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ Fallon, John (25 June 2016). "Dominant England blow Ireland away in U20 World Cup final". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ Collings, Simon (25 January 2021). "Launchbury and Marler withdraw from England's Six Nations squad". Evening Standard. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ Bridge, Bobby (25 January 2021). "Joe Launchbury and Joe Marler withdrawn from England squad, Tom West and Charlie Ewels called up". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 16 May 2022.