Charles Thompson (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Charles Edward Thompson was an English
international rugby union
fullback who played club rugby for Manchester
and county rugby for Lancashire. Thompson was selected for the British Isles
team on its 1899 tour of Australia
, but despite representing Great Britain, never played international rugby for England.
Thompson was described by his tour captain Matthew Mullineux
, as having 'a good kick' and having the ability to play at three-quarters and in the forwards. This would have made Thompson an all round player, because as a specialist full back, the only positions on the pitch excluded by his capatain were at half-back. Thompson played in 13 games of the British Isles tour, including three Test matches against the Australian national team
. Thompson was not selected for the first test in Sydney
, with Mullineaux selecting Esmond Martelli
at full back. The British team lost the opener, and Mullineux reacted by reshuffling his squad, including dropping himself from future Test games, and also selecting Thompson rather than Martelli. Mullineux's tactics resulted in the British Isles winning the remaining three Tests, and Thompson finishing the tour with three international wins.
When selected for the British Isles, Thompson is listed as representing Lancashire, but in the 1900/01 season he is listed as playing for northern team, Manchester Rugby Club. While at Manchester, he was approached by the Barbarians
, an invitational touring team that played within Britain. Thompson accepted the invitation becoming one of the earliest members of the club.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
fullback who played club rugby for Manchester
Manchester Rugby Club
Manchester Rugby Club, formerly known as Manchester Football Club, are one of the oldest rugby union clubs in existence, having been founded in 1860, 11 years before the RFU....
and county rugby for Lancashire. Thompson was selected for the British Isles
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
team on its 1899 tour of Australia
1899 British Lions tour to Australia
The 1899 British Isles tour to Australia was the fourth rugby union tour by a British Isles team and the second to Australia; though the first tour in 1888 was a private venture, making the 1899 tour the first official undertaking of Australia...
, but despite representing Great Britain, never played international rugby for England.
Rugby career
Thompson first came to note as a rugby player through his selection in the 1899 British Isles team that toured Australia. He was uncapped before his selection, and did not have the distinction of an Oxford or Cambridge sporting 'Blue', a factor commin to many of the touring party. The players were normally chosen at this early stage of touring parties, on sporting ability and just as importantly on the ability to take an unpaid five month leave of absence.Thompson was described by his tour captain Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux MC was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia...
, as having 'a good kick' and having the ability to play at three-quarters and in the forwards. This would have made Thompson an all round player, because as a specialist full back, the only positions on the pitch excluded by his capatain were at half-back. Thompson played in 13 games of the British Isles tour, including three Test matches against the Australian national team
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
. Thompson was not selected for the first test in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, with Mullineaux selecting Esmond Martelli
Esmond Martelli
Arthur Esmonde Martelli was an Irish international rugby union fullback back who played club rugby for Dublin University. Martelli played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
at full back. The British team lost the opener, and Mullineux reacted by reshuffling his squad, including dropping himself from future Test games, and also selecting Thompson rather than Martelli. Mullineux's tactics resulted in the British Isles winning the remaining three Tests, and Thompson finishing the tour with three international wins.
When selected for the British Isles, Thompson is listed as representing Lancashire, but in the 1900/01 season he is listed as playing for northern team, Manchester Rugby Club. While at Manchester, he was approached by the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
, an invitational touring team that played within Britain. Thompson accepted the invitation becoming one of the earliest members of the club.