Thomas Jones (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Thomas 'Tom' Jones was a Welsh
international rugby union
player who played club rugby union
for Newport. Jones was capped six times for Wales
and was part of the 1922 Five Nations Championship winning side.
and Pill Harriers
, before joining Newport in 1919.
Jones was first selected for Wales in 1922 while representing Newport at club level. Evans first game was against England at the Cardiff Arms Park
under the captaincy of Tom Parker
. Wales scored a record eight tries against England and the selectors kept faith with Jones by giving him a place in the next game of the 1922 Five Nations Championship
against Scotland. Wales drew with Scotland thanks to a late drop goal from Islwyn Evans
. Jones played the last two games of the tournament, both resulting in Welsh victories giving Wales the Home Nation Championship.
Unlike many of the 1922 squad, Jones was reselected for future Welsh games when he was chosen for the 1924 Five Nations Championship
. More surprising as Jones had been suspended in August 1922 by the Welsh Rugby Union
for encouraging younger players to switch codes from rugby union to the professional rugby league
game. This decision was later over-turned and Jones was allowed to play rugby union again. Jones played two more games for Wales, the first against England saw him record his first international points when he scored a try
, though this was not enough to prevent an English victory, Wales losing 17-9. His final game for Wales was the disastrous game against Scotland which Wales lost 35-10, Jones being one of six players to never represent Wales again.
Jones faced two more international touring teams as part of the Newport squad. He played against the 1924 touring New Zealand team and the 1926 Maoris.
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...
player who played club 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...
for Newport. Jones was capped six times 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 was part of the 1922 Five Nations Championship winning side.
Rugby career
Jones played for several second tier Welsh clubs in earlier years, including his home town Pontnewydd and local teams BlaenavonBlaenavon RFC
Blaenavon Rugby Football Club are a Welsh rugby union club based in the town of Blaenavon, South Wales. Blaenavon RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons....
and Pill Harriers
Pill Harriers RFC
Pill Harriers RFC are a Welsh rugby union club based in Newport in South Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons..-Club origins:...
, before joining Newport in 1919.
Jones was first selected for Wales in 1922 while representing Newport at club level. Evans first game was against England at the Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
under the captaincy of Tom Parker
Tom Parker (rugby player)
Tom Parker was a Welsh international rugby union flanker who played club rugby for Swansea. Parker made his debut for Swansea in 1913 and captained his club in the 1920/21 season Parker would play 15 times for Wales, seven of them as captain...
. Wales scored a record eight tries against England and the selectors kept faith with Jones by giving him a place in the next game of the 1922 Five Nations Championship
1922 Five Nations Championship
The 1922 Five Nations Championship was the eighth 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-fifth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
against Scotland. Wales drew with Scotland thanks to a late drop goal from Islwyn Evans
Islwyn Evans
Haydn Islwyn Evans was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby union for Swansea and Llanelli. Evans was capped four times for Wales, all during the 1922 Five Nations Championship.-Rugby career:...
. Jones played the last two games of the tournament, both resulting in Welsh victories giving Wales the Home Nation Championship.
Unlike many of the 1922 squad, Jones was reselected for future Welsh games when he was chosen for the 1924 Five Nations Championship
1924 Five Nations Championship
The 1924 Five Nations Championship was the tenth 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-seventh series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. More surprising as Jones had been suspended in August 1922 by the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
for encouraging younger players to switch codes from rugby union to the 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...
game. This decision was later over-turned and Jones was allowed to play rugby union again. Jones played two more games for Wales, the first against England saw him record his first international points when he scored a 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...
, though this was not enough to prevent an English victory, Wales losing 17-9. His final game for Wales was the disastrous game against Scotland which Wales lost 35-10, Jones being one of six players to never represent Wales again.
Jones faced two more international touring teams as part of the Newport squad. He played against the 1924 touring New Zealand team and the 1926 Maoris.