Gwyn Thomas (rugby)

For the Welsh cricketer for Glamorgan CCC, and rugby union footballer for Neath RFC, see Gwyn Thomas (cricketer).
Gwyn Thomas
Personal information
Full name William Gwyn Thomas
Born 22 Oct 1892
Treherbert, Glamorgan, Wales
Died 11 January 1984(1984-01-11) (aged 91)
Indian River, Florida, USA
Playing information
Height 5 ft 10 3⁄4 in (179.7 cm)
Weight 12 st 6 lb (79 kg; 174 lb)
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1912–13 Cardiff 3 0 0 0 0
London Welsh
Total 3 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1915 Barbarian F.C. 1
Rugby league
Position Fullback, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1913–15 Wigan 43 5 8 0 31
1918–19 Wigan 7
1918–2? Huddersfield
Total 50 5 8 0 31
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1914–21 Wales 2 0 0 0 0
1914–22 Great Britain 9 0 0 0 0
1921 Other Nationalities 1 0 0 0 0
Source: rugbyleagueproject.org englandrl.co.uk

W. Gwyn Thomas (1892—1984)[1] was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1910s and 1920s who played invitational level rugby union for Barbarian F.C., and at club level for Cardiff, and London Welsh, and playing representative level rugby league for Great Britain, Wales, and Other Nationalities, and at club level for Wigan, and Huddersfield, as a full back, or centre three-quarter back, i.e. number 1, or, 3 or 4.[2][3]

Whilst playing for Wigan Thomas was selected to go on the 1914 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, playing at fullback in the second Test match of the Ashes series against Australia.

Thomas played rugby union for Barbarian F.C. against South Africa in November 1915.[4] At this time the animosity the rugby union code against the rugby league code would normally have precluded any professional league footballer from ever playing rugby union again, however this match took place during World War I, and for the morale of the country, the antagonism between the codes was temporarily relaxed.

Whilst playing for Huddersfield Thomas was selected to go on the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour of Australasia. He played at fullback in all three Test matches of the Ashes series. He also played in two Test matches against New Zealand.

During the 1921–22 Kangaroo tour Thomas was selected to play for Great Britain at fullback against Australia in all three test matches of the Ashes, which was won by the British.

References

  1. ↑ "Thomas family crypt"
  2. ↑ Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
  3. ↑ "The English Team". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Collins, Tony (2006). Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain. UK: Taylor & Francis. p. 15. ISBN 9780415396141. Retrieved 15 February 2011.

External links

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