Tom Biggs
Encyclopedia
Tom Biggs is a rugby union
footballer for Bath RFC. His usual position is at wing
. Playing in his first season for Leeds Tykes
in 2004, he featured in the Zurich Premiership, Powergen Cup and European Cup
.
Biggs had not played any club rugby before joining the Yorkshire U18s, having only played with his school team at Hymers College
. Biggs was spotted by the then Tykes Academy boss Stuart Lancaster
and was asked to join the Tykes' Academy side.
Before the 2004–05 Zurich Premiership season, Biggs was considering a part time rugby career with National Division Two team Harrogate Rugby Union Football Club, having failed to make an appearance in the Leeds Tykes
first team. At the time, he was working in a cinema and in a pea factory to supplement his life as a business student at Leeds Metropolitan University
, but by the end of the season he had collected a Powergen Cup winners medal.
He had been recalled by Tykes coach Phil Davies
on the eve of the season as the club were forced to call on all their resources when faced with an injury crisis with Phil Christophers
, Diego Albanese
, Tim Stimpson
and Iain Balshaw
all unable to play. Biggs was included in the pre-season warm up games and was picked in the starting line up for the opening game of the season against Gloucester RFC
on 5 September 2004, making his full debut in a 16–21 defeat at Headingley
.
Biggs also featured in the next game against Leicester Tigers
, scoring a try in a 20–42 defeat. He was first to react to a Gordon Ross cross field kick and chipped on ahead of Austin Healey
to collect the ball and evade the cover tackle to touch down. The try was later short-listed for the Gillette Try of the season at the Zurich Awards.
Biggs made a total of 21 appearances in the 2004-05 season, helping the Tykes to avoid relegation from the Zurich Premiership with another try against Leicester in a 23–22 victory at Headingley. He ended his debut season with a place in the Tykes' Powergen Cup final against Bath Rugby
, collecting his first winners medal in a 20–12 win. He was chosen ahead of Argentine
wing Diego Albanese
in the Tykes' side for the Twickenham
clash.
After his first season, he was selected for the England team in the IRB
U21s Championship in Argentina and was involved in the U21s’ Six Nations
campaign, playing in their final clash with Scotland
. He ended last season as the club’s top try scorer and was voted Player Of The Year.
Biggs, who was close to being selected for the England Saxons
last summer, committed himself to the Tykes until 2009. He missed three months of the National Division One 2006/7 season, following a shoulder surgery that he suffered in September 2006. He had an operation to repair torn cartilage and a ligament, but returned to action in January 2007 as a replacement against Nottingham.
Biggs moved to the Newcastle Falcons
on a one year contract for the 2009-10 season. He was also called into the England Saxons
squad to face Italy A
in Ragusa
, Sicily
on 9 February 2008. On 17 February 2010, it was announced that Biggs had signed a three year deal to play for Bath.
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...
footballer for Bath RFC. His usual position is at wing
Wing
A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...
. Playing in his first season for Leeds Tykes
Leeds Tykes
Leeds Carnegie is an English rugby union club, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, currently playing in the RFU Championship. In recent years, they have bounced between the Premiership and the second-level National Division One, now known as the RFU Championship; they were either promoted or relegated...
in 2004, he featured in the Zurich Premiership, Powergen Cup and European Cup
European Rugby Cup
European Rugby Cup is the organising body of two European rugby union club tournaments; the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup. The organisation was established in 1995 and is headquartered in Dublin...
.
Biggs had not played any club rugby before joining the Yorkshire U18s, having only played with his school team at Hymers College
Hymers College
Hymers College is a co-educational independent school located on the site of the old Botanic Gardens of Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was established in 1893 as a boys' school, but expanded to include girls from the 1970s onwards.-History:...
. Biggs was spotted by the then Tykes Academy boss Stuart Lancaster
Stuart Lancaster (rugby)
Stuart Lancaster is the Head of Elite Player Development for the England Rugby Football Union.-Rugby career:...
and was asked to join the Tykes' Academy side.
Before the 2004–05 Zurich Premiership season, Biggs was considering a part time rugby career with National Division Two team Harrogate Rugby Union Football Club, having failed to make an appearance in the Leeds Tykes
Leeds Tykes
Leeds Carnegie is an English rugby union club, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, currently playing in the RFU Championship. In recent years, they have bounced between the Premiership and the second-level National Division One, now known as the RFU Championship; they were either promoted or relegated...
first team. At the time, he was working in a cinema and in a pea factory to supplement his life as a business student at Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University is a British University with three campuses. Two are situated in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England while the third is situated in Bhopal, India...
, but by the end of the season he had collected a Powergen Cup winners medal.
He had been recalled by Tykes coach Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Phil Davies is a Welsh former rugby union footballer of the 1980s and 90s.-Rugby career:Davies played his club rugby for Llanelli and enjoyed a distinguished 46 cap career for Wales between 1985 and 1995...
on the eve of the season as the club were forced to call on all their resources when faced with an injury crisis with Phil Christophers
Phil Christophers
Philip Derek Christophers is a rugby union footballer who plays on the wing for Castres and has previously played for England.Christophers was born and raised in Germany with an English father and a German mother...
, Diego Albanese
Diego Albanese
Diego Luis Albanese is a former Argentine rugby union player who played as a winger. He played for the San Isidro Club in Argentina, French side Grenoble, Gloucester and Leeds Tykes...
, Tim Stimpson
Tim Stimpson
Timothy Richard George Stimpson is a former rugby union international full back . During his career he played for Wakefield, West Hartlepool, Newcastle Falcons, Leicester Tigers, Perpignan, Leeds Tykes and Nottingham, England and the British Lions...
and Iain Balshaw
Iain Balshaw
Iain Robert Balshaw, MBE is a rugby footballer who plays on the wing or at full back for Biarritz.-Early life:...
all unable to play. Biggs was included in the pre-season warm up games and was picked in the starting line up for the opening game of the season against Gloucester RFC
Gloucester RFC
Gloucester Rugby are a professional English rugby union club situated in the west country city of Gloucester. The club plays in the domestic Aviva Premiership...
on 5 September 2004, making his full debut in a 16–21 defeat at Headingley
Headingley
Headingley is a suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road...
.
Biggs also featured in the next game against Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
, scoring a try in a 20–42 defeat. He was first to react to a Gordon Ross cross field kick and chipped on ahead of Austin Healey
Austin Healey
Austin Sean Healey is a former English rugby union player, who played as a utility back for Leicester Tigers, and has represented the England national rugby union team and the British Lions....
to collect the ball and evade the cover tackle to touch down. The try was later short-listed for the Gillette Try of the season at the Zurich Awards.
Biggs made a total of 21 appearances in the 2004-05 season, helping the Tykes to avoid relegation from the Zurich Premiership with another try against Leicester in a 23–22 victory at Headingley. He ended his debut season with a place in the Tykes' Powergen Cup final against Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
, collecting his first winners medal in a 20–12 win. He was chosen ahead of Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
wing Diego Albanese
Diego Albanese
Diego Luis Albanese is a former Argentine rugby union player who played as a winger. He played for the San Isidro Club in Argentina, French side Grenoble, Gloucester and Leeds Tykes...
in the Tykes' side for the Twickenham
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...
clash.
After his first season, he was selected for the England team in the IRB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
U21s Championship in Argentina and was involved in the U21s’ Six Nations
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
campaign, playing in their final clash with Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He ended last season as the club’s top try scorer and was voted Player Of The Year.
Biggs, who was close to being selected for the England Saxons
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
last summer, committed himself to the Tykes until 2009. He missed three months of the National Division One 2006/7 season, following a shoulder surgery that he suffered in September 2006. He had an operation to repair torn cartilage and a ligament, but returned to action in January 2007 as a replacement against Nottingham.
Biggs moved to the Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
on a one year contract for the 2009-10 season. He was also called into the England Saxons
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
squad to face Italy A
Italy A national rugby union team
The Italy A national rugby union team are the second national rugby union team in Italy after the national side. They compete every year in the IRB Nations Cup.-Fixtures:IRB Nations Cup 2010...
in Ragusa
Ragusa, Italy
Ragusa is a city and comune in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Ragusa, on the island of Sicily, with around 75,000 inhabitants. It is built on a wide limestone hill between two deep valleys, Cava San Leonardo and Cava Santa Domenica...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
on 9 February 2008. On 17 February 2010, it was announced that Biggs had signed a three year deal to play for Bath.