Players / My World

Tom Rees

/ London Wasps and England

Born in London, Tom moved to Basingstoke when he was 6 and was a keen football enthusiast until he saw sense, aged 11. Four months later, he’s at Twickenham playing for Harriet Costello U12 team in the Daily Telegraph Emerging Schools Festival. He was unlucky not to have more of an impact during the 2007 World Cup but was once punched by Martin Johnson, not particularly hard he says, but remembers feeling very honoured.

---

The only thing of value is my TV. I’d be dragging that out and hope the console and the sky box came out with it if my house was burning down.

 

I was in Nike Town and Dustin Hoffman was in there. I didn’t get the chance to speak to him, but I thought that was pretty cool. I don’t think I’ve every really bumped into any celebrities.

 

I’m not a big fan of reality TV. Big Brother is the biggest waste of time. I’d probably go on Hell’s Kitchen because I’ve got mate who’s a chef, so he’d probably give me a few pointers. I’m not a celebrity so I wouldn’t go to the jungle, and I can relate with Kenny Logan in terms of my dancing, so I couldn’t see myself on Strictly Come Dancing.

 

I am not too superstitious with rituals. I would end up forgetting and putting the left sock on my right foot and have a massive panic. I’m really too forgetful. I like to rub a bit of turf through my hands before kick-off.

 

I’d probably be unemployed if I wasn’t playing rugby.
Unfortunately I’m not one of these people who have had a calling. I’ve lucked my way into finding something to do and hopefully Ill find something to do after that.

 

I didn’t know anything about rugby when I was a kid. I was bored at home and I used to go through my parents videos and I stumbled upon the famous Baa Baas vs. All Blacks match from 1973, so I just popped in the VCR and was instantly gripped and thought this looks like a laugh.

 

I would never hear the end of it. If I had absolute shocker and ‘Hask’ bailed me out on every occasion. That would be my worst rugby nightmare.