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Joseph Thompson (rugby)
Encyclopedia
Joseph "Joe" Francis Thompson (born 22 December 1902 in Hambrook
— died in Leeds
) was an English
born Welsh
dual-code international rugby union
and professional rugby league
footballer of the 1910s, '20s and '30s who at representative level played rugby union (RU) for Wales
, and at club level for Cross Keys RFC
, playing at Number Eight, and at representative level played rugby league (RL) for Great Britain
, Wales
, and Other Nations
, and at club level for Leeds
, playing at , , or /, i.e. number 8 or 10, 11 or 12, or 13.
In 1923, aged 20, Joe Thompson became a Dual-code rugby international, first playing in the Wales
(RU) team at Twickenham Stadium
and later that year for Wales
(RL) in the rugby league
international at the Fartown Ground, Huddersfield.
(RU) while at Cross Keys RFC in 1923 against England, won caps for Wales
(RL) while at Leeds 8-caps, won caps for Other Nations
(RL) while at Leeds 5-caps, and won caps for Great Britain
while at Leeds in 1924 against Australia, and New Zealand (2 matches), in 1928 against Australia, and New Zealand, in 1929 against Australia, and in 1932 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (3 matches).
in Monmouthshire
. Joe Thompson played soccer until his late teens but a short time after trying rugby union he was playing in the Cross Keys RFC first team. While with Cross Keys, Joe Thompson was selected to play for the Welsh national rugby union team in the opening match of the 1923 Five Nations Championship
. Wales lost the game 7-3 and this match was the only cap Joe Thompson won under rugby union rules.
In February 1923 he signed for Leeds playing in the . He had worked as a coalminer since the age of 13, a background that had no doubt hardened him. He was a fearless tackler and a powerful runner with terrific ball handling skills, unusual for a forward of that period. More surprising still was his masterly command of goalkicking, with 862 goals in eleven seasons playing for Leeds. In all first class games he landed 921 goals and scored over 2000 points, outscoring even the legendary Jim Sullivan in the 1927-1928 and 1929-1930 seasons.
In Test
matches Joe Thompson was on the winning side eight times in 12 appearances, with the distinction of selection for Australian tours in 1924, 1928 and 1932. In the history of tours to Australasia the only forward to equal this was Brian Edgar
of Workington Town
. On each of Thompson’s three tours Britain
came home with The Ashes. The 1932 tour was his apotheosis
, playing in a star-studded pack in all six Tests in Australia and New Zealand
. This included the infamous second Australian Test, enshrined in Rugby League history as the 'Battle of Brisbane' with nine players suffering serious injury. In New Zealand all three Tests were won and on the whole tour only two of 26 games were lost.
Joe Thompson was capped 25 times; 12 internationals for Great Britain
(RL), eight for Wales
(RL) and five for Other Nations
(RL).
On his retirement in April 1933 Leeds paid him the rare honour of making him a life member of the club.
when their scouts
saw a young forward from Cwmcarn
walk to the touchline
, spit out a few broken teeth, and then go back into the game as though it was nothing at all out of the ordinary, Leeds
knew that they were on a good thing."
Hambrook
Hambrook is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, just outside the outskirts of the city of Bristol. It lies between the two larger communities of Winterbourne and Frenchay and is part of the Civil Parish of Winterbourne...
— died in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
born Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
dual-code 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...
and professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1910s, '20s and '30s who at representative level played rugby union (RU) for Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
, and at club level for Cross Keys RFC
Cross Keys RFC
Cross Keys RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh village of Crosskeys. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.- History :...
, playing at Number Eight, and at representative level played rugby league (RL) for Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
, Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
, and Other Nations
Other Nationalities rugby league team
The Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
, and at club level for Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
, playing at , , or /, i.e. number 8 or 10, 11 or 12, or 13.
In 1923, aged 20, Joe Thompson became a Dual-code rugby international, first playing in the Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
(RU) team at Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
and later that year for Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
(RL) in the rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
international at the Fartown Ground, Huddersfield.
International honours
Joe Thompson won cap a for WalesWales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
(RU) while at Cross Keys RFC in 1923 against England, won caps for Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
(RL) while at Leeds 8-caps, won caps for Other Nations
Other Nationalities rugby league team
The Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
(RL) while at Leeds 5-caps, and won caps for Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
while at Leeds in 1924 against Australia, and New Zealand (2 matches), in 1928 against Australia, and New Zealand, in 1929 against Australia, and in 1932 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (3 matches).
Rugby career
Born in England (of English parents) Joe Thompson was raised from infancy at CrosskeysCrosskeys
Crosskeys is a small village in Caerphilly county borough in Wales.- Location :Crosskeys is seven miles north west of Newport, just past Risca off the A467 road. Located near to the confluence of the Ebbw River and the Sirhowy River, it was originally called Pont-y-cymer...
in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
. Joe Thompson played soccer until his late teens but a short time after trying rugby union he was playing in the Cross Keys RFC first team. While with Cross Keys, Joe Thompson was selected to play for the Welsh national rugby union team in the opening match of the 1923 Five Nations Championship
1923 Five Nations Championship
The 1923 Five Nations Championship was the ninth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-sixth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. Wales lost the game 7-3 and this match was the only cap Joe Thompson won under rugby union rules.
In February 1923 he signed for Leeds playing in the . He had worked as a coalminer since the age of 13, a background that had no doubt hardened him. He was a fearless tackler and a powerful runner with terrific ball handling skills, unusual for a forward of that period. More surprising still was his masterly command of goalkicking, with 862 goals in eleven seasons playing for Leeds. In all first class games he landed 921 goals and scored over 2000 points, outscoring even the legendary Jim Sullivan in the 1927-1928 and 1929-1930 seasons.
In Test
Test match (rugby league)
A Test match in rugby league football is a representative match between teams representing members of the Rugby League International Federation.The definition of a Test match differs from that of an international match...
matches Joe Thompson was on the winning side eight times in 12 appearances, with the distinction of selection for Australian tours in 1924, 1928 and 1932. In the history of tours to Australasia the only forward to equal this was Brian Edgar
Brian Edgar
Brian Edgar was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and '60s who at representative level played for, and captained, Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Workington Town, playing at , or , i.e...
of Workington Town
Workington Town
Workington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....
. On each of Thompson’s three tours Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
came home with The Ashes. The 1932 tour was his apotheosis
Apotheosis
Apotheosis is the glorification of a subject to divine level. The term has meanings in theology, where it refers to a belief, and in art, where it refers to a genre.In theology, the term apotheosis refers to the idea that an individual has been raised to godlike stature...
, playing in a star-studded pack in all six Tests in Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. This included the infamous second Australian Test, enshrined in Rugby League history as the 'Battle of Brisbane' with nine players suffering serious injury. In New Zealand all three Tests were won and on the whole tour only two of 26 games were lost.
Joe Thompson was capped 25 times; 12 internationals for Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
(RL), eight for Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
(RL) and five for Other Nations
Other Nationalities rugby league team
The Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
(RL).
On his retirement in April 1933 Leeds paid him the rare honour of making him a life member of the club.
Career Records
Joe Thompson is one of less than ten Welshmen to have scored more than 2000-points in their rugby league career.Contemporaneous Article Extract
"Never was there a man less likely to have his head turned by fame or flattery. His approach to life was like his approach to football - simple, direct, thoughtful and sincere. There was something reassuringly solid about that massive figure, that firmly moulded beak of a nose and that determined, jutting jaw. Joe Thompson was dependability itself. From the day at Twickenham StadiumTwickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
when their scouts
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
saw a young forward from Cwmcarn
Cwmcarn
Cwmcarn is a village situated in the Ebbw valley in south Wales, in the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It grew with 19th-century coal mining, but is now known for its extensive mature forestry and greenery, that attract thousands of visitors and mountain biking enthusiasts each year.-...
walk to the touchline
Touch-line
The touch line is the line on either side of the playing area of a games of rugby league, rugby union and association football . In many other sports it is called a side-line....
, spit out a few broken teeth, and then go back into the game as though it was nothing at all out of the ordinary, Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
knew that they were on a good thing."