Willie Thomas
Encyclopedia
William 'Willie' Henry Thomas (22 March 1866 – 11 October 1921) 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 Isles team. This unofficial tour did not play any international opposition and no caps were awarded.
Thomas was born in Fishguard
in 1866 to E.B. Thomas of Pembrokshire. He was educated at Llandovery College
before graduating to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
in 1885.
. Captained by Newport's Charlie Newman
, Wales engineered a draw through unsporting tactics, mainly by killing the ball whenever possible by lying on it. Thomas was reselected for both Welsh games of the 1886 Home Nations Championship
, still representing Llandovery for the opening game against England at Blackheath, but having progressed to the Cambridge University
team by the time Wales hosted Scotland a week later. Wales lost both matches, but in the second game at the Cardiff Arms Park
against Scotland, Thomas was part of the first Welsh team to trial the four three-quarter system. In 1886 and 1887, Thomas was on the winning Cambridge team in the Varsity match against Oxford, collecting two sporting Blues.
Thomas played twice in the 1887 Championship
, in the losses to England and Scotland, but missed the win over Ireland when he was replaced by William Towers. Thomas was back for both games of the 1888 Championship
, but by now was representing London based exiles, London Welsh. The opening game saw the very first Welsh win over Scotland, thanks to a debut try
from Thomas Pryce-Jenkins
. This was also the first winning international game Thomas had been part of, though the team could not capitalise on their success when they were beaten by Ireland in the second and final game of the tournament.
Thomas missed the next four games for Wales, including the historic match against the New Zealand Natives
, but returned for the second game of the 1890 Championship
. After having lost to Scotland in the tournament opener, Thomas was back in the pack to face England. Now captained by Wales rugby legend Arthur 'Monkey' Gould, Wales won an historic victory over the English, after some clever line-out play by William Stadden
. This was the first time Wales had beaten England and the result gave Wales a chance of taking the tournament title when they face Ireland two weeks later. The Welsh were unable to take advantage of their England win, when they drew, with a goal apiece, at Lansdowne Road
. Wales were heading towards defeat before a late Charlie Thomas
try gave Wales an equaliser. More notable was the fight between the two sides at the after-match dinner, in which nine players found themselves in Dublin Court the next day. The press did not release the names of the culprits, so it is not known if Thomas was among them.
Thomas represented Wales twice more, when he was given the captaincy in the final two games of the 1891 Championship
. Thomas was now playing for Llanelli, and his final match was to lead his country out in a win over Ireland at Stradey Park
.
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 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 London Welsh. He was capped eleven 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 captained the team on two occasions. In 1888, Thomas was chosen to tour New Zealand and Australia
1888 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia
The 1888 British Isles tour to New Zealand and Australia was a series of rugby union games played by an unofficial British team against invitational teams in New Zealand and Australia...
as part of the first British Isles team. This unofficial tour did not play any international opposition and no caps were awarded.
Thomas was born in Fishguard
Fishguard
Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, with a population of 3,300 . The community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5043 at the 2001 census....
in 1866 to E.B. Thomas of Pembrokshire. He was educated at Llandovery College
Llandovery College
Llandovery College is an independent school in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was founded and endowed by Thomas Phillips in 1847 to provide a classical and liberal education in which the Welsh language; the study of Welsh literature and history were also to be cultivated.Llandovery...
before graduating to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
in 1885.
Rugby career
In 1885, while still a schoolboy at Llandovery College, Thomas was selected for the final Welsh game of the Home Nations Championship1885 Home Nations Championship
The 1885 Home Nations Championship was the third series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Four matches were played between 3 January and 21 February 1885. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales...
. Captained by Newport's Charlie Newman
Charlie Newman
Charlie Newman was a Welsh international three-quarter who played club rugby for Newport. He was awarded ten caps for Wales and captained the team on six occasions. An original member of the Newport squad he captained the team in the 1882/83 season.-Personal life:Newman was born Newport in 1857 to...
, Wales engineered a draw through unsporting tactics, mainly by killing the ball whenever possible by lying on it. Thomas was reselected for both Welsh games of the 1886 Home Nations Championship
1886 Home Nations Championship
The 1886 Home Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 2 January and 13 March 1886. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales...
, still representing Llandovery for the opening game against England at Blackheath, but having progressed to the Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
team by the time Wales hosted Scotland a week later. Wales lost both matches, but in the second game 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...
against Scotland, Thomas was part of the first Welsh team to trial the four three-quarter system. In 1886 and 1887, Thomas was on the winning Cambridge team in the Varsity match against Oxford, collecting two sporting Blues.
Thomas played twice in the 1887 Championship
1887 Home Nations Championship
The 1887 Home Nations Championship was the fifth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 8 January and 12 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
, in the losses to England and Scotland, but missed the win over Ireland when he was replaced by William Towers. Thomas was back for both games of the 1888 Championship
1888 Home Nations Championship
The 1888 Home Nations Championship was the sixth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Three matches were played between 4 February and 10 March. It was contested by Ireland, Scotland and Wales. England was excluded from the Championship due to their refusal to join the...
, but by now was representing London based exiles, London Welsh. The opening game saw the very first Welsh win over Scotland, thanks to a debut 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 Thomas Pryce-Jenkins
Thomas Pryce-Jenkins
Dr. Thomas John Pryce-Jenkins was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for London Welsh and county rugby for Middlesex...
. This was also the first winning international game Thomas had been part of, though the team could not capitalise on their success when they were beaten by Ireland in the second and final game of the tournament.
Thomas missed the next four games for Wales, including the historic match against the New Zealand Natives
1888-1889 New Zealand Native football team
The 1888–1889 New Zealand Native football team was a New Zealand football team that toured Britain, Australia and New Zealand in 1888 and 1889. The team was composed mainly of players of Māori ancestry, although several Pakeha were included in the squad. The tour was a private endeavour, and was...
, but returned for the second game of the 1890 Championship
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:...
. After having lost to Scotland in the tournament opener, Thomas was back in the pack to face England. Now captained by Wales rugby legend Arthur 'Monkey' Gould, Wales won an historic victory over the English, after some clever line-out play by 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...
. This was the first time Wales had beaten England and the result gave Wales a chance of taking the tournament title when they face Ireland two weeks later. The Welsh were unable to take advantage of their England win, when they drew, with a goal apiece, at Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
. Wales were heading towards defeat before a late Charlie Thomas
Charlie Thomas (rugby player)
Charles 'Charlie' Thomas was a Welsh international rugby union utility player who played club rugby for Newport and invitational rugby for the Barbarians. Thomas won nine caps for Wales.-Rugby career:...
try gave Wales an equaliser. More notable was the fight between the two sides at the after-match dinner, in which nine players found themselves in Dublin Court the next day. The press did not release the names of the culprits, so it is not known if Thomas was among them.
Thomas represented Wales twice more, when he was given the captaincy in the final two games 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...
. Thomas was now playing for Llanelli, and his final match was to lead his country out in a win over Ireland 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...
.