Tom Shanklin
A former Wales U19 cap, Tom Shanklin started his career at London Welsh before spending five seasons with the Saracens.
Shanklin was born in Harrow but chose to follow his Tenby-born father Jim into the Welsh side. A prolific try scorer, he made his debut against Japan in Osaka in 2001, scoring two tries. In 2004, Shanklin became the seventh player to equal the Welsh try scoring record in a single match, scoring four times against Romania.
The 2005–2006 season was a write-off for the Cardiff Blues No.13 as he struggled with a career-threatening knee injury. However, his blistering form for his club on his return earned Shanklin a return to the international fold for the first time since Wales defeated Ireland 32-20 to win the RBS Six Nations tournament in 2005.
Shanklin appeared on 21 occasions for the Blues in the 2006–2007 season, scoring an impressive eight tries over the course of the year, and proving a constant force in the region's end-of-season push for the Magners League title, which they narrowly lost to the Ospreys.
Having gained a place in the Welsh national squad for the 2006 Invesco Perpetual Series, he starred against Australia, New Zealand and Canada, against whom he scored a try.
The 2007 RBS Six Nations saw Shanklin appear against Scotland, France (in which he scored a try), Italy and the victory over England. He was rested from the tour to Australia in May but Shanklin was named in the 41-man preliminary Rugby World Cup 2007 summer training squad in June. In August he was named in the final thirty man RWC squad after the Test match against England; Shanklin also played in the clash with the Pumas in the Invesco Perpetual Summer Series.
Shanklin played in all four of Wales's Pool B matches at the Rugby World Cup, making a replacement appearance against Japan at the Millennium Stadium. In November 2007 Shanklin was selected by Wales Caretaker Coach Nigel Davies to play in the inaugural Prince William Cup clash against South Africa; Shanklin played on the wing in the defeat at the hands of the world champions.
In January 2008 Shanklin was called into Warren Gatland's RBS Six Nations squad. He gained his 50th cap for his country in the superb 47-8 victory over Italy at the Millennium Stadium, scoring an interception try which firmly turned the screw against the Azzurri. He also made starts against Scotland, Ireland and France after coming on as a replacement in the tournament opener against England at Twickenham.
Shanklin became an integral member of Gatland’s plans during the year as he played in both tests in South Africa and played in each of the four autumn fixtures. He was an pivotal member of the 2009 Six Nations squad and was selected for the British & Irish Lions touring squad for that year's tour to South Africa but a shoulder injury suffered on Magners League duty with the Blues ended his tour before it had begun.
