Steve Thompson - England recall

trout

After reading the Lomu thread, I got thinking about comebacks ... what about this for Steve Thompson?
Quite a remarkable story, particularly the payback to the insurance company, which he had to do to be allowed play again.

I thought he was doing really well for Brive ... Martin Johnson clearly thinks so too.

http://www.sportbox.tv/rugbyu/news/story.php?id=295566

Steve Thompson has capped a remarkable recovery by being named in Martin Johnson's England squad ahead of their autumn internationals.

Thompson retired in 2007 following what was thought to be a career-ending spinal operation while at Northampton Saints.

He returned later in that year after paying £500,000 back in insurance money when he represented Brive.

The 2003 World Cup final winner's gamble has now paid paid off with his return to the England set-up.

The 31-year-old will be hoping to make an appearance a week on Saturday against Australia.

Speaking to reporters, he said: "I've lost money through coming back but I'm a lot more relaxed now. It's the second chance, you know? Everything is a bonus and I'm playing better for it."

Another article on the same topic quotes Thompson as saying

"I didn't think this would happen," he's told this morning's papers. "It's cost me a lot of money and some might have thought I was stupid but I've never regretted doing it. I've worked hard to come back after getting massively overweight and trained the hardest I ever have to get myself in nick. The way England are looking to play is right up my street. I'm a bit more relaxed now and it's like a second chance with everything a bonus for me and I'm playing better for it."

Link for second quote here

I never really liked Thompson as a player ... but you have to admire him.

tHE vAGGABOND

I laughed at that, until I remembered we have no hookers at all either

garbanzo

Like trout I never admired him as a player. He always struck me as the sorta guy who had a head for punching ! Credit where it is due though for handing back the insurance money and getting back to the top flight.

Whenever I think of him though I always think of an Ireland v England match (maybe the first in Croker) and the microphone clearly picked up Jerry Flannery saying to Thompson, in broad Limerick-ese. . " what are you lookin' at ya fat cnut"

trout

garbanzo wrote: »

Whenever I think of him though I always think of an Ireland v England match (maybe the first in Croker) and the microphone clearly picked up Jerry Flannery saying to Thompson, in broad Limerick-ese. . " what are you lookin' at ya fat cnut"

That's on youtube ... search for flannery and keywords from that phrase ... brilliant:D

/edit ... here it is ... hard to make out ... listen carefully

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_ixoDI7Lfk

garbanzo

trout wrote: »

That's on youtube ... search for flannery and keywords from that phrase ... brilliant:D

Cheers for that trout. Is there anything Boards.ie cannot do for me !:)

Risteard

Good for the guy. Glad he's back though can't understand why he's ahead of Hartley. Either way, nice to see a guy come back after such a serious injury. Saw an interview with him once and despite what you're opinions of him might be on the pitch, he came off as a pretty decent guy.

Sangre

I could never understand why he just didn't go into modelling once he had to retire.

thomond2006

I have a lot of respect for him.

Still should be behind Hartley though. :pac: