Waldrom heading home to look for new rugby opportunity

Thomas the Tank Waldrom is set to end his rugby career in New Zealand after confirming he will quit English champions Exeter to return home.

The Exeter Chiefs have confirmed the barnstorming No 8 - a former England international will leave at the end of the 2017-18 season.

Waldrom, who has scored 50 tries in 92 games for the Chiefs, said it was ‘‘the right time’’ for him, wife Emma and their sons to go back to New Zealand.

‘‘It’s been a hard decision to come to, but deep down I know it’s the right decision,’’ Waldrom said.

‘‘My wife has followed me around England for a good eight years now, when it was only supposed to be two at the start!’’

The Chiefs crowd hums along to the Thomas the Tank engine theme song whenever the big Kiwi crosses the try-line.

Waldrom, 34, does not plan to retire and will be exploring playing opportunities in New Zealand.

A Wellington product, he could loom as a potential replacement for England-bound Hurricanes loose forward Brad Shields, who joins Wasps later this year.

Waldrom - younger brother of ex-All Black flanker Scott Waldrom - made his Wellington NPC debut in 2001.

He played 80 games for Wellington and 14 for Hawke’s Bay and made 30 Super Rugby appearances for the Hurricanes and 26 for the Crusaders before joining the Leicester Tigers in 2010.

He won four England caps while with Leicester.

Waldrom joined Exeter in 2014 and has become a cult hero at the Devon club on and off-the-field.

He was the English Premiership’s top try-scorer with 16 touchdowns in the 2014-15 season and helped Exeter win last year’s title.

But his game-time has been limited this year due to the rise of Sam Simmonds, who started at No 8 for England’s Six Nations win over Italy yesterday.