Tom Palmer (rugby player)

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Tom Palmer (born 27 March 1979 in Harringay, London) is an English rugby union footballer. He is a lock.

He started playing mini rugby at age five with the Barnet club but and spent his early years in Kenya. He moved to Edinburgh with his family, where he played for Boroughmuir School until he was 16 and for the Boroughmuir club itself. After his A levels Tom deferred his place at the Leeds University for a year while he went to New Zealand. He spent 18 months at Otago Boys' High School, where he played for New Zealand Schoolboys before returning to the UK to start a degree course in physics at Leeds University.

Spotted by Phil Davies in his first game for Leeds University, he joined Leeds Tykes in 1997 and played for Leeds Tykes U19s during his first year at college. He also won selection for the Scotland U19 and U21 sides. He then studied part time when he was drafted into the first team squad in September 1998. He became the Tykes first England international and the club's second longest serving player after Mike Shelley.

Tom made his debut against Blackheath on 2nd September 1998, making a total of 10 appearances for the Tykes during his first season when they finished in 6th place in National Division 2. Tom became a regular first team player during the 99-00 season, missing only 4 games throughout the season. The most notable game for Tom was against Worcester in November 1999 when he scored his first try in the 20-9 win at Headingley.

In the 2000-2001 season the Tykes finished top of Division 1. Tom again played an important role in the side, making a total 20 appearances and scoring 8 tries. In the Tetley’s Bitter Cup competition in October Palmer was one of nine try scorers who helped the Tykes to a magnificent 100-0 win over Morely.

He earned a place in the England A squad whilst still playing in National Division One and was then rewarded with a place on the Summer tour to North America in 2001 and has been a regular A member ever since. After appearing in the midweek sides, he won his first senior cap as a replacement for Steve Borthwick in the final 10 minutes of England’s victory over the US Eagles in San Francisco on 16 June 2001.

In the Tykes first season in the Premiership Tom began in his now regular central role, making 15 appearances, however during in the game between England A and Wales A Tom broke his leg. The injury meant that the loss against Northampton Saints in March was the last game he featured in during the season.

Palmer was back to full fitness for the start of the 2002-2003 season and did not miss a game for the Tykes during the entire Zurich Premiership campaign. In the summer of 2003 he was selected for England’s summer tour to New Zealand and then joined up with the Churchill Cup squad in Canada, only to pick up a serious knee injury that took six months to put right.

Once Tom had regained full fitness he rejoined the Tykes in January during the 3-27 loss against the Saracens. Tom became one of four players to have ever played 100 games for the Tykes, he also became the club's youngest captain and collected a Powergen Cup winners medal. In March 2004 he was vice captain to Mike Catt in the England A side narrowly defeated 22-26 by France A.

Tom joined London Wasps in the summer of 2006 after Leeds Tykes were relegated from the Premiership, and quickly became the first choice lock. Overall, he made 188 appearances at Leeds between 1998 and 2006 scoring 20 tries.