England and Wasps rugby star Tom Palmer arrived at Queen Elizabeth’s at the end of this term to give an elite session for the Under 15s rugby team. Tom, who has 13 England caps and is currently recovering from injury, led the boys through a number of demanding drills.
The event provided the boys with an insight into the demands of professional rugby and the importance of attention to detail. After the session Head of Games Mark Peplow said, “It was great to see a player of such stature at Queen Elizabeth’s. Hopefully Tom’s visit will have inspired a few of the boys to follow in his foot steps.”
Tom spent his younger days in Kenya, where his father was a field officer for Voluntary Service Overseas. When Palmer Snr became chief executive of the Citizens’ Advice Bureau in Scotland, the family moved to Edinburgh. After his A levels at Boroughmuir High School Tom deferred his place at the University of Leeds for a year while he went to New Zealand to attend Otago Boys’ High School and play for New Zealand Schools. Next season he will be at Stade Francais in Paris.