Tom David
Encyclopedia
Thomas Patrick "Tommy" David (born 2 April 1948 in Pontypridd) is a former Wales
international rugby union
and rugby league
player. He was selected for the 1974 British Lions tour to South Africa
and at the time played club rugby for Llanelli RFC
. He also played for his home-town club Pontypridd RFC
and while at the club was part of the 1976 Grand Slam
winning Wales team. In 1981 he switched codes to rugby league, representing Cardiff City Blue Dragons
.
-scoring prowess, which would be used to great effect in Pontypridd's 1975/76 season. David was a fitter by trade, but would later become a company director.
David was a keen rugby player as a youth, and represented his school, Hawthorn Secondary Modern before joining Pontypridd. In 1972 he switched to Llanelli, and was chosen to face New Zealand when the All Blacks played Llanelli as part of their 1972/73 tour. The game saw a historic win for Llanelli, beating New Zealand 9-3. This was the first of two encounters for David against the same touring All Blacks as he also played flanker in the Barbarian
side of 1973 who were victorious against New Zealand at Cardiff Arms Park
. In between the two victories, the Wales national team also faced the New Zealanders, and many critics felt that David's robust style of play and heavy tackling, which he took to the All Blacks with Llanelli, should have been rewarded with his first international cap. David was not selected for the game, and Wales lost the game 19-16.
While with Llanelli, David was first selected to represent the Wales national team, in an encounter with France
as part of the 1973 Five Nations Championship
. Although Wales lost the game, David was reselected for the very next Wales game against Australia
who were touring England and Wales
. David was forced to pull out of the Wales team for the opening game of the 1974 Championship, against Scotland, through injury. This allowed Pontypool's
Terry Cobner
to take the open flanker position. Cobner was so successful in this role, that David was kept out of the position until Conber himself was forced to stand down three years later.
In 1974, David was selected for the British Lions team to tour South Africa
. David played in nine games, but was not selected for any of the Test games against the South African national team. On the tour David scored five tries against the regional teams, including two in the opening game against Western Transvaal
.
In 1976, despite being a popular figure at Stradey Park
, David rejoined Pontypridd. With Pontypridd, David won the Welsh Club Championship in the 1975/76 season, and regained his international place with Wales. His third cap was an encounter away to Ireland
during the 1976 Five Nations Championship
. Wales had already won the first two matches of the tournament over England and Scotland, and Wales then beat Ireland after a rapid turn around of fortunes thanks to the attacking flair of Phil Bennett
. David was then selected for the final Wales' game of the Championship, the title decider at home to France. When Wales won the game 19-13, they not only took the Championship but also the Grand Slam. Although he was now a Grand Slam winning player, David never represented Wales under the union code again.
David continued to represent Pontypridd, and in the 1979/80 season he was given the captaincy of the senior team. While at Pontypridd he saw the club win three Welsh Club Championships, in 1976, 1978 and 1979. In 1981 David left Ponty, turning to the professional rugby league code. He joined Cardiff RLFC
in August 1981 and on 8 November of that year he represented the Wales national rugby league team
in a match against England
at Cardiff
. He played one final international in 1982, this time a home match to the Australian team.
Wales (rugby league) 1981 1982
while at Cardiff City (Bridgend) Blue Dragons in 1981 against England, and in 1982 against Australia.
Before the start of the 1984/85 season, Cardiff City Blue Dragons relocated from Ninian Park
in Cardiff
, to Coychurch Road Ground
in Bridgend
, and were renamed Bridgend Blue Dragons.
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...
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 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...
player. He was selected for the 1974 British Lions tour to South Africa
1974 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1974 the British Lions toured South Africa, with matches in South West Africa and Rhodesia . The tour was a great success, the Lions winning 21 of their 22 matches and drawing the other. After winning the first three test matches, the Lions drew the final test to preserve their unbeaten record...
and at the time played club rugby for Llanelli RFC
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...
. He also played for his home-town club 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....
and while at the club was part of the 1976 Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
winning Wales team. In 1981 he switched codes to rugby league, representing Cardiff City Blue Dragons
Cardiff City Blue Dragons
The Cardiff City Blue Dragons were a rugby league team formed in 1981. Their home ground was Ninian Park which was also used by Cardiff City FC. The club spent three seasons in Cardiff before relocating to Bridgend in 1984 as the Bridgend Blue Dragons, who were finally wound up in 1986. The team...
.
Rugby career
Thomas David commonly known as Tom or Tommy, was given the nickname "Tom the Bomb", and was noted for his diving, tryTry
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...
-scoring prowess, which would be used to great effect in Pontypridd's 1975/76 season. David was a fitter by trade, but would later become a company director.
David was a keen rugby player as a youth, and represented his school, Hawthorn Secondary Modern before joining Pontypridd. In 1972 he switched to Llanelli, and was chosen to face New Zealand when the All Blacks played Llanelli as part of their 1972/73 tour. The game saw a historic win for Llanelli, beating New Zealand 9-3. This was the first of two encounters for David against the same touring All Blacks as he also played flanker in the Barbarian
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
side of 1973 who were victorious against New Zealand at 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...
. In between the two victories, the Wales national team also faced the New Zealanders, and many critics felt that David's robust style of play and heavy tackling, which he took to the All Blacks with Llanelli, should have been rewarded with his first international cap. David was not selected for the game, and Wales lost the game 19-16.
While with Llanelli, David was first selected to represent the Wales national team, in an encounter with France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
as part of the 1973 Five Nations Championship
1973 Five Nations Championship
The 1973 Five Nations Championship was the forty-fourth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the seventy-ninth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship...
. Although Wales lost the game, David was reselected for the very next Wales game against Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
who were touring England and Wales
1973 Australia rugby union tour of England and Wales
The 1973 Australia rugby union tour of England and Wales was a series of eight matches played by the Australia national rugby union team in England and Wales in October and November 1973. The Wallabies won only of two of their matches, lost five and drew the other one; they lost both of their...
. David was forced to pull out of the Wales team for the opening game of the 1974 Championship, against Scotland, through injury. This allowed Pontypool's
Pontypool RFC
Pontypool Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in the town of Pontypool. Pontypool RFC has a long history within Welsh rugby and is one of the most notable clubs, being present at the formation of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1881, but disbanding before the turn of the 19th century...
Terry Cobner
Terry Cobner
Terence "Terry" John Cobner is a former Welsh international rugby union player and British Lion. He was born in Blaenavon, Monmouthshire and currently lives in Pontypool.- Welsh international and British Lion :...
to take the open flanker position. Cobner was so successful in this role, that David was kept out of the position until Conber himself was forced to stand down three years later.
In 1974, David was selected for the British Lions team to tour South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. David played in nine games, but was not selected for any of the Test games against the South African national team. On the tour David scored five tries against the regional teams, including two in the opening game against Western Transvaal
Leopards (rugby team)
The Leopards, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. They play out of Potchefstroom at Olën Park as well as the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg...
.
In 1976, despite being a popular figure at 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...
, David rejoined Pontypridd. With Pontypridd, David won the Welsh Club Championship in the 1975/76 season, and regained his international place with Wales. His third cap was an encounter away to Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
during the 1976 Five Nations Championship
1976 Five Nations Championship
The 1976 Five Nations Championship was the forty-seventh series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the eighty-second series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship...
. Wales had already won the first two matches of the tournament over England and Scotland, and Wales then beat Ireland after a rapid turn around of fortunes thanks to the attacking flair of Phil Bennett
Phil Bennett
Phillip Bennett was a Welsh international rugby union fly half from 1969 to 1978. His flair and range of tricks, including his famous sidestep and swerve, meant he was a firm favourite with crowds.-Rugby career:...
. David was then selected for the final Wales' game of the Championship, the title decider at home to France. When Wales won the game 19-13, they not only took the Championship but also the Grand Slam. Although he was now a Grand Slam winning player, David never represented Wales under the union code again.
David continued to represent Pontypridd, and in the 1979/80 season he was given the captaincy of the senior team. While at Pontypridd he saw the club win three Welsh Club Championships, in 1976, 1978 and 1979. In 1981 David left Ponty, turning to the professional rugby league code. He joined Cardiff RLFC
Cardiff City Blue Dragons
The Cardiff City Blue Dragons were a rugby league team formed in 1981. Their home ground was Ninian Park which was also used by Cardiff City FC. The club spent three seasons in Cardiff before relocating to Bridgend in 1984 as the Bridgend Blue Dragons, who were finally wound up in 1986. The team...
in August 1981 and on 8 November of that year he represented the Wales national rugby league team
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...
in a match against England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
at Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. He played one final international in 1982, this time a home match to the Australian team.
International matches played
Wales (rugby union) 1973 1973, 1976 1976Wales (rugby league) 1981 1982
International Rugby League Honours
Thomas David won caps for WalesWales 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...
while at Cardiff City (Bridgend) Blue Dragons in 1981 against England, and in 1982 against Australia.
Before the start of the 1984/85 season, Cardiff City Blue Dragons relocated from Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, to Coychurch Road Ground
Bridgend Town F.C.
Bridgend Town F.C. is a Welsh football club that currently play in the Welsh Football League First Division. They are based in Bridgend in south Wales. Historically, their local rivals were Maesteg Park who disbanded in 2009...
in Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
, and were renamed Bridgend Blue Dragons.