England Under 20s

Tom Price

Key Facts

Squad	Leicester Tigers
Position	Lock
Age	20
Height	2.05m (6'9")
Weight	112kg (17st 8lb)
Caps	U20: 5

After three years with Leicester Tigers Academy, Tom Price is in his initial season as a first team squad member. A newcomer to the England U20 squad last year, he started all five matches in the 2012 Six Nations and has set himself clear targets in the game. He said: “I want to gain international honours at as many levels as possible.”

Tom, a debutant for England U18 two seasons ago, was on the bench against Italy U19 at Sale and started the Scotland game at Headingley Carnegie and has also represented England U19. He possesses a strong rugby background, having played for Stratford-upon-Avon mini-juniors from the age of six to 16. His father Jerry was a flanker for Hertfordshire club Tabard for 15 years and captained them for a couple of seasons in the 1980s.

Born in Leamington Spa and educated at Kineton Primary and High School, Tom went on to Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I Sixth Form College, Leicester. He took A and AS levels in business studies, English Language and PE, along with an Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) in association with the Tigers Academy.

Tom represented Warwickshire U15, U16, U17 and U18 and appeared against England U16 for the Combined Academies U17 side that included players from 11 of the 14 regional England Rugby Academies. He won the Warwickshire U18 Best Forward award in 2009, lifted the sporting excellence trophy at Kineton High School and captained the side.

He said: “My main mentor has been John Stretton, the head coach throughout my time at Stratford RFC. He transformed me from a centre and wing through to Number 8 and then to second row. James Daly and Andrew Sandford, the school coaches, also guided my rugby career. Since joining the Tigers academy manager Neil McCarthy and his team have enabled me to develop and push on in my career, with great support from the phsyio and strength and conditioning staff at Oval Park (the Tigers training ground).”

“My most memorable match was the last game in the 2012 U20 Six Nations against Ireland when we won the title. It is closely followed in my list of high spots by the three-match clean sweep of victories on the England U18 tour to Australia in August 2011. It was a great team effort under a lot of pressure.” South Africa’s Bakkies Botha and Geoff Parling, for his line out ability and ball carrying, and All Black Julian Savea, for his slick skills, are the players he admires most and his top venues are the Ricoh Arena in Coventry and Welford Road. He has been on loan to Nottingham this year.

Tom’s own sporting talents extended to playing Warwickshire District cricket and sharing in Kineton High School’s triumph as Warwickshire Football champions. On a lighter note, he added: “My favourite biscuits are ginger nuts – I could survive on them!”