Stephen Thomas (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Stephen Thomas was a Welsh
international rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Llanelli
and Gowerton
. Thomas played for Wales
on three occasions during the 1890
and 1891 Home Nations Championship
s.
in a home game against Scotland. Thomas was one of five new caps, but is recorded as the 100th player to play for Wales due his surname's position alphabetically. Under the captaincy of Frank Hill
, Wales lost the game 5-1, but Thomas was reselected for the next game away to England, along with Llanelli team-mate Percy Lloyd
. The England game was an historic victory, which saw Wales beat their old adversary for the first time, thanks to a single try
from William Stadden
. Thomas didn't play in the final game of the tournament, his place taken by London Welsh's Rowley Thomas
. Thomas played one final game for Wales, the final game of the 1891 Championship
which saw the selectors shake up the Welsh pack, bringing in four new caps and Thomas in replacement for William Bowen. The game was played at the Llanelli home-ground Stradey Park
, with the Welsh captained by Willie Thomas
; the game ended in a narrow win for Wales.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
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...
forward who played club rugby for Llanelli
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
and Gowerton
Gowerton RFC
Gowerton Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Gowerton near Swansea, Wales; officially founded in 1884. Gowerton RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Ospreys....
. Thomas played 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...
on three occasions during the 1890
1890 Home Nations Championship
The 1890 Home Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 1 February and 15 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
and 1891 Home Nations Championship
1891 Home Nations Championship
The 1891 Home Nations Championship was the ninth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 3 January and 7 March...
s.
Rugby career
Thomas was first capped for Wales while playing with Llanelli. He was selected to play in the opening game of the 1890 Home Nations Championship1890 Home Nations Championship
The 1890 Home Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 1 February and 15 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
in a home game against Scotland. Thomas was one of five new caps, but is recorded as the 100th player to play for Wales due his surname's position alphabetically. Under the captaincy of Frank Hill
Frank Hill (rugby player)
Frank Hill was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff. Hill won 15 caps for Wales over a period of ten years and was given the team captaincy on four occasions....
, Wales lost the game 5-1, but Thomas was reselected for the next game away to England, along with Llanelli team-mate Percy Lloyd
Percy Lloyd
David Percy Marmaduke Lloyd was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Llanelli. Lloyd played for Wales on four occasions during the 1890 and 1891 Home Nations Championships.- Rugby career :...
. The England game was an historic victory, which saw Wales beat their old adversary for the first time, thanks to a single try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
from William Stadden
William Stadden
William James Wood "Buller" Stadden was a Welsh international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Cardiff and Dewsbury. Stadden won eight caps for Wales over a period of seven years and is most remembered for scoring the winning try in 1890 to give Wales their first victory over England...
. Thomas didn't play in the final game of the tournament, his place taken by London Welsh's Rowley Thomas
Rowley Thomas
Rowland 'Rowley' Lewis Thomas was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for London Welsh, of whom he was a founding member, and county rugby for Middlesex...
. Thomas played one final game for Wales, the final game of the 1891 Championship
1891 Home Nations Championship
The 1891 Home Nations Championship was the ninth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 3 January and 7 March...
which saw the selectors shake up the Welsh pack, bringing in four new caps and Thomas in replacement for William Bowen. The game was played at the Llanelli home-ground Stradey Park
Stradey Park
Stradey Park was a rugby union stadium located near the centre of the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was the home of the Scarlets region and Llanelli RFC rugby teams. The stadium was a combination of seating and standing with a total capacity of 10,800...
, with the Welsh captained by Willie Thomas
Willie Thomas
William 'Willie' Henry Thomas was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli and London Welsh. He was capped eleven times for Wales and captained the team on two occasions. In 1888, Thomas was chosen to tour New Zealand and Australia as part of the first British...
; the game ended in a narrow win for Wales.