Waldrom wins Premiership player of the month

England and Exeter Chiefs No.8 Thomas Waldrom has been named Aviva Premiership Player of the Month for November.

The 31-year-old forward, who joined the Devon club in the summer after a four-year stint with the Leicester Tigers, has enjoyed a stellar start to his Chiefs career, scoring seven tries in nine Premiership starts.

Waldrom’s on-field performances have not only helped to propel Rob Baxter’s side into the top three in the Aviva Premiership, but also to the top of both their European and LV= Cup pools, as well as a recall into Stuart Lancaster’s England squad for the recent Autumn internationals.

“I don’t think it could have gone any better than it has been so far,” said Waldrom.

“I’m very pleased with how things have gone, but I’m aware we’ve got some big games coming up and that we have to keep on working hard.”

With league encounters at Sale Sharks and Bath, plus a New Year date with Gloucester, all on the horizon, Waldrom has praised the efforts of his team-mates and the club’s coaches in helping him pick up his second Player of the Month accolade.

“The coaches have given me a bit of a licence to go out and play, plus it’s always good to score tries,” he added.

“But I’m only as good as the 14 guys in front of me. Together they’ve all been doing their bit to help the team this year – and I’m just the guy who has been lucky enough to finish off the scores.”

“When I first spoke to Rob about coming to the club he told me I would enjoy it down here and I would enjoy the way we play,” added Waldrom.

“From the moment I arrived, I settled very easily. The lifestyle is very relaxing and for the kids there is lots for them to do.

“Pre-season was a bit like Super Rugby, which I’m familiar with, so it was just a case of getting on with it, enjoying it, learning things and then getting the opportunity to start the season.”

Waldrom’s club form has attracted the attentions of plenty across the country, including the England head coach who recalled him to his training squad for last month’s international block:

“It was nice to be back in the England mix, that dream never goes away,” said Waldrom. “However, to get anywhere near that team you have to be playing well for your club side. I always said at Leicester, worry about your form here first and foremost and then England will follow.

“It’s exactly the same down here, if you’re playing well those things will happen. It’s just about kicking on; moving forward and making sure I do what I am doing and don’t let things slip.

“As a club we have set goals for 2015, but we’ll keep them in house. We know what we have to do to achieve those goals. Where we are currently in the table – we want to stay there – but it’s up to us to keep working hard in games and in training to maintain that. It’s a great challenge for us to take on over these next 12, 14 rounds.”

Rob Baxter believes the decision to award Thomas Waldrom the Aviva Premiership Player of the Month for November is “fully justified” after a highly promising start to his Exeter Chiefs career.

The 31-year-old has been the club’s stand-out figure so far this term, scoring seven tries in nine Premiership starts, to help the Chiefs position themselves in the top three of English rugby’s top flight.

His arrival this summer on a three-year deal from Leicester Tigers was questioned by some media observers who believed the England international had produced his best form whilst at Welford Road.

However, Baxter and the Chiefs clearly had a different take on the matter as they let the all-action back-row ace demonstrate his talents from the outset.

A try double on his league debut for the Devon club at London Welsh was the start of things for Waldrom, who has since continued to deliver week in, week out for his new employers who are also top of both their European and LV= Cup pools.

“I think it’s a fully justified award,” said Baxter. “Tom’s not won an award for Exeter knocking over a couple of teams that everyone would expect us to beat, but he’s performed very well in those games.

“When you look through the fixtures we’ve had recently, they’ve been tough, top-of-the-table-type fixtures and Tom’s been one of our high-level performers in those games.

“It’s great to see him enjoying himself, great to see him scoring tries, and he’s had some important moments in those games when it comes to dictating momentum.

“If you tried to think of the top performers in the Premiership over the last month, you would be hard pressed to pick anyone else. If you did, it might be another Exeter player. We’ve been on good form as a team and the form of Tom goes hand-in-hand with that.”

Among those to take note of Waldrom’s displays was England head coach Stuart Lancaster, who recently recalled the player back into his training squad for the recent Autumn internationals.

Although Waldrom did not add to his tally of four caps, the fact he is back on Lancaster’s radar is hugely encouraging with the Rugby World Cup just a year away.