YOUNG GUNS
Hooker Finn Theobald-Thomas is a devastating force in defence but wants to improve on his attacking contributions for both club and country.
The 19-year-old Gloucester U20s forward has enjoyed a breakthrough year with Alan Dickens’ side, starting all five Six Nations games after contributing largely from the bench last season.
He said: “Being with England has been unreal. It was a bit of a change from last year starting every game this year but the lads in camp are excellent and I’ve learnt a lot during this year’s Six Nations.”
England made a dominant start to the tournament with three bonus point wins over Scotland, Italy and Wales but were well beaten by France 42-7 at the Rec and like the men’s team were unable to spoil Ireland’s Grand Slam party losing out 36-24.
Theobald-Thomas said: “The first three games were very good. We were on top of those teams but in Bath against France we faced an experienced side full of players playing in the Top 14. We just gave them opportunities and they took every single one. It was 6-0 after 30 minutes, so we knew after that it was our mistakes that cost us.
“Going to Ireland, we had a good opportunity to spoil the party. To receive a red card but be within six points with five minutes to go means the lads should be proud of the performance because Ireland have been dishing up the rest of the teams, so to have it within reach is positive.”
Theobald-Thomas, who is 6ft and weighs 16st 5lbs, started out as a back row and only made the transition to hooker a couple years ago.
He added: “I played 7 or 8 in the back row until I got signed by Worcester. They were training me as a hooker, but I was playing at 7 for them all the way up to the U18s, so I didn’t play hooker until I moved up to the seniors.
“I’m not really sure the reason why, I never really asked because I was just happy to be on the pitch! I think the reason was in U15s, in one of my first academy games, our hooker just couldn’t throw, and they were asking if anyone could throw and I gave it a crack and was half decent at it. So, since then it must have stuck.
“There wasn’t that much of a difference other than you’re in the middle of the scrum, so your neck hurts more in the morning than it does in the back row but the way I play hasn’t really changed.”
The former Worcester Warrior is an abrasive player that likes to get in opponents faces but says he would like to improve with ball in hand and stop running around ‘like a headless chicken’.
He said: “When I was younger I idolised South African hooker Bismarck du Plessis because he was one of those players that got in everyone’s faces and was running around hitting things, similar to me.
“My defence is the strongest part of my game, but my attack is an area in which Gloucester and England are trying to improve.
“I’d like to get my hands on the ball a bit more and work in the right areas rather than running around like a headless chicken.”