After making his debut for England in the 2002 Six Nations, Steve “Tommo” Thompson was once England’s most capped hooker. Standing at 6ft tall, he was a formidable force on the field and a key player in England’s victories over New Zealand and Australia during the 2003 Rugby World Cup that led the team to victory. But his playing years didn’t always run so smoothly... 

In this inaugural episode of After The Whistle, Tommo shares his remarkable journey of resilience and recovery through two severe neck injuries which forced him to retire from the sport on two occasions; once in 2007 and a final time in 2011. His story is one of true heroics, pain and ultimately, immense passion and drive that saw him grow from from a young teenager first developing his skills at Northampton Old Scouts through to the Rugby legend that stands before us today. 

Leon Lloyd and Switch The Play:  switchtheplay.com