Tom Billups
Encyclopedia
Tom Billups was an American
rugby union
rugby player who played for the USA Eagles
as an international and Blackheath Rugby Club, Harlequin F.C.
, and Pontypridd RFC
as a professional. He played at hooker. After retiring in 1999, he accepted an offer to coach the Eagles two years later, keeping that position from 2001 to 2006. He is also an assistant coach in the University of California, Berkeley
rugby program.
Originally a college football player, Billups discovered rugby after exhausting his football options and immediately fell in love with the game. His first experience playing with a club was with the QC Irish, a rugby union club in Davenport, Iowa, which he in part led to the 1985 7's National Championship. Developing his skills by playing club rugby in California
and New Zealand
, he won his first international cap at hooker in 1993. He quickly established himself as one of the preeminent rugby players in the United States. During his international career from 1993 to 1999 he won 44 caps, with 12 of those as captain.
After the professionalization of the game in the mid 1990s, he was one of the first American rugby players to pry their trade overseas, playing for Blackheath in 1996 and joining the Harlequins a year later. He ended his professional playing career in Wales
playing first for Neath RFC
and then with Pontypridd RFC.
Billups entered a new phase of his rugby life in 2001, when he accepted the interim coaching position of the United States national team for a test against South Africa
. He became the full-time coach the next year, leading the Eagles through their most successful Rugby World Cup
to date, with a victory against Japan
and a near-win against Fiji
. He resigned in April, 2006 with a final record of 10 wins and 18 losses.
He continues to be involved in the game as an assistant coach at Cal-Berkeley, helping the Bears to 15 national championships in the past 16 years.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
rugby player who played for the USA Eagles
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
as an international and Blackheath Rugby Club, Harlequin F.C.
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
, and Pontypridd RFC
Pontypridd RFC
Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions....
as a professional. He played at hooker. After retiring in 1999, he accepted an offer to coach the Eagles two years later, keeping that position from 2001 to 2006. He is also an assistant coach in the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
rugby program.
Originally a college football player, Billups discovered rugby after exhausting his football options and immediately fell in love with the game. His first experience playing with a club was with the QC Irish, a rugby union club in Davenport, Iowa, which he in part led to the 1985 7's National Championship. Developing his skills by playing club rugby in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, he won his first international cap at hooker in 1993. He quickly established himself as one of the preeminent rugby players in the United States. During his international career from 1993 to 1999 he won 44 caps, with 12 of those as captain.
After the professionalization of the game in the mid 1990s, he was one of the first American rugby players to pry their trade overseas, playing for Blackheath in 1996 and joining the Harlequins a year later. He ended his professional playing career in 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...
playing first for Neath RFC
Neath RFC
Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem...
and then with Pontypridd RFC.
Billups entered a new phase of his rugby life in 2001, when he accepted the interim coaching position of the United States national team for a test against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. He became the full-time coach the next year, leading the Eagles through their most successful Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
to date, with a victory against Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
and a near-win against Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
. He resigned in April, 2006 with a final record of 10 wins and 18 losses.
He continues to be involved in the game as an assistant coach at Cal-Berkeley, helping the Bears to 15 national championships in the past 16 years.