Rising rugby star, Tom Mumford, 16, has secured a place on the U16 England rugby squad. The Plymouth College hooker came to the attention of England selectors when he captained the U16 South West team in a tournament between the North, the Midlands and the South East.
The U16 Devon vice captain will spend half term at a training camp in Abingdon, alongside fellow local players Richard Bayliss and Dan Pullinger making up the full Devonport Services front row. With everything to play for, the boys will be doing their best to make sure they are selected into the U16 England teams.
As well as his meteoric rise to the national stage, Tom has been part of a phenomenal season for the Plymouth College team, which also includes U18 England player, Henry Slade. Claiming the scalps of QEH, King's Taunton, Truro School, Exeter School, Cornwall U18s and Exeter College to name but a few, the team made it to the quarter finals of the U18 Daily Mail Cup, where they conceded their first defeat of the season to reigning champions, Whitgift School. The Cup sees more than 600 teams take part each year and reaching the last eight is by far a competition best for Plymouth College. Sixteen out of seventeen wins puts the team in the top three in the national schools' rugby league and led to the February 'Team of the Month' accolade from Rugby World. They are playing Kelly College in the U18 Devon Cup final on Thursday at Brickfields (KO 6 p.m.).
"Knowing I've made it to the England squad is an amazing feeling", said Tom. "I've always dreamed of getting this far and after making the Devon and South West teams, I knew it was within my grasp. I just tried to keep focussed and play the best rugby that I could."
"We are all really proud of Tom's achievement and delighted that he has made the England squad", said Plymouth College head of rugby, Richard Edwards. "He is an incredibly talented player and demonstrates a maturity and professionalism way beyond his years. His place on the national squad is very well deserved."
