A Sad End for Wasps Flanker Tom Rees
Whilst the retirement of flanker Tom Rees in March due to a knee injury was disheartening for England, it was a hammer blow to London Wasps. Often compared to Richie McCaw during his early development with Wasps, injuries prevented the talented back rower from ever realising his truly extraordinary potential at both club and international level.
Rees, a product of the renowned Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe, joined Wasps in 2003 and was part of an academy which boasted the likes of James Haskell, with the two later playing together for both the Wasps' first team and the England national team. Even at the young age of 19 and representing the Wasps' A side, it was clear to everyone involved with Rees development that he was a special talent.
Fast forward two seasons and Rees was already a mainstay in a back row unit which featured the ferocious tackling of Joe Worsley and the legendary Lawrence Dallaglio at number eight. Despite having considerable ability on the blindside, it was as an openside flanker that Rees really found his niche. His bullish ball carrying ability coupled with his strong tackling helped him make a name for himself in what was arguably the best back row in English rugby at the time.
As good as his tackling and ball carrying were though; they were not his best attributes. His skills at the breakdown were almost unparalleled in the English game and were the perhaps the main reason for his early comparisons to a certain New Zealand number seven. During a time when England and many other Northern Hemisphere sides were being admonished for their inability to secure quick ball at rucks without committing an abundance of players, Rees bucked the trend. He was not only able to quickly deliver the ball for his own side, but consistently force turnovers with his speed and power at the breakdown.
During his time with the club, Rees helped his side to both European and domestic success, collecting Heineken and Premiership trophies, with the 2008 Premiership final proving to be one of Rees most resplendent performances. Between himself and former team mate Haskell, the Leicester Tigers forwards were bullied at the breakdown and the talented Wasps' backs were allowed to shine on what proved to be a fitting farewell to club talisman Dallaglio.
Unfortunately Rees will not be able to enjoy an equally fitting farewell with his career cut short at the age of 27 and Wasps currently struggling near the foot of the Aviva Premiership table. Although his loss will be felt much more keenly at Wasps than it will in the England camp, his inability to add to his 15 England caps due to an injury plagued career will forever be seen as one of the most frustrating missed opportunities in the international arena.
The hypothetical 'what if' situations that are innately connected with the world of sport are often exaggerated, with sentiment and bias often the ruling factors in these scenarios, but the potential that Rees could have fulfilled had he been able to stay injury free is certainly not one of them. His contributions to his club as both a player and captain have immeasurably helped his side in the post-Dallaglio era but the leadership qualities he could have brought to England in the last few years will be debated for some time to come.
