Barbs about my body never hurt, insists Thomas Waldrom

Rugby, we frequently hear, is a game for all shapes and sizes but there is a curious snobbery against players who do not fit the conventional mould in the professional game.

Thomas Waldrom, for one, has long grown accustomed to receiving more comments for his appearance than his ability.

The Exeter No8 has by his own admission a sweet tooth that is indulged from time to time and he is unlikely to follow James Haskell on to the pages of Men’s Health.

The various barbs and backhanded compliments that he receives barely register on his consciousness any more.

“I’ve heard them all before…