Rees Thomas
Encyclopedia
Rees Thomas was a Welsh
international rugby union
back row player who was utilised usually as a flanker or Number 8. Thomas played club rugby for Pontypool
and county rugby for Monmouthshire
. He won eight caps for Wales
and played between 1909 and 1913, representing Wales during two Triple Crown
winning seasons.
. The win over Ireland sealed a perfect tournament for Wales and made Thomas a Triple Crown tournament winner in his first competitive game. Thomas was not called upon for the 1910 Championship
, but was back in the Wales team for the 1911 tournament
. It was during the 1911 competition that Thomas scored his only points for Wales when he scored a try
in the game against Scotland. A record eight tries were scored against Scotland by Wales, and Thomas was the only person not playing for Cardiff
to score for the Welsh team in that game. Wales won all four of the games of the 1911 Championship giving Thomas his second Triple Crown win. Thomas played in two games of the 1912 Championship, both under the captaincy of Dicky Owen
. The first was a loss to England at Twickenham
, followed by a more convincing display and a win at St Helen's over Scotland.
At the end of 1912, Thomas was selected to represent Monmouthshire against the touring South African team. Thomas was one of three capped players in the Monmouthshire team, the others were Newport's Reg Plummer
and Abertillery's
Jim Webb
. Although the South African's won 16–0, Thomas was chosen to play for Wales when they faced the same touring South African team. Wales lost to the South Africans at Cardiff Arms Park
, their first defeat in Cardiff since 1899. This was followed by a defeat to England on the same pitch a month later, which was Thomas last game for his country, and was seen as the end of the First Golden Age of Welsh rugby.
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...
back row player who was utilised usually as a flanker or Number 8. Thomas played club rugby for Pontypool
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...
and county rugby for Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire County RFC
Monmouthshire County RFC is a Welsh rugby union club that manages an invitational team, known as Monmouthshire that originally played rugby at county level...
. He won eight caps 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 played between 1909 and 1913, representing Wales during two Triple Crown
Triple Crown (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the four national teams of the British Isles who compete within the larger Six Nations Championship: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. If any one team manages to win all their games against the other three they win the...
winning seasons.
Rugby career
Thomas was first selected to play for Wales in a friendly game against France in 1909 as a prop forward. He was reslected for the very next game which was against Ireland in the final match of the 1909 Home Nations Championship1909 Home Nations Championship
The 1909 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-seventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 16 January and 20 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
. The win over Ireland sealed a perfect tournament for Wales and made Thomas a Triple Crown tournament winner in his first competitive game. Thomas was not called upon for the 1910 Championship
1910 Five Nations Championship
The 1910 Five Nations Championship was the first series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the twenty-eighth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
, but was back in the Wales team for the 1911 tournament
1911 Five Nations Championship
The 1911 Five Nations Championship was the second series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the twenty-ninth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. It was during the 1911 competition that Thomas scored his only points for Wales when he scored a 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...
in the game against Scotland. A record eight tries were scored against Scotland by Wales, and Thomas was the only person not playing for Cardiff
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
to score for the Welsh team in that game. Wales won all four of the games of the 1911 Championship giving Thomas his second Triple Crown win. Thomas played in two games of the 1912 Championship, both under the captaincy of Dicky Owen
Dicky Owen
Dicky Owen was a Welsh international scrum-half who played club rugby for Swansea RFC Owen is seen as one of the greatest Welsh scrum-halves and won 35 caps for Wales between 1901 and 1912, a record that was unbeaten until 1955 when Ken Jones surpassed him.-Influence in rugby:Born Richard Morgan...
. The first was a loss to England at 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...
, followed by a more convincing display and a win at St Helen's over Scotland.
At the end of 1912, Thomas was selected to represent Monmouthshire against the touring South African team. Thomas was one of three capped players in the Monmouthshire team, the others were Newport's Reg Plummer
Reg Plummer (rugby player)
Reg Plummer was a Welsh international, rugby union wing who played club rugby for Newport and invitational rugby with both the Barbarians and Crawshays RFC...
and Abertillery's
Abertillery RFC
Abertillery Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Abertillery. According to their web site, they were founded in 1883, though other sources state 1884. Their team colours are green and white and their home ground is Abertillery Park in Abertillery. The club is a member of the...
Jim Webb
Jim Webb (rugby player)
Alfred "Jim" Webb was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Abertillery and county rugby for Monmouthshire...
. Although the South African's won 16–0, Thomas was chosen to play for Wales when they faced the same touring South African team. Wales lost to the South Africans 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...
, their first defeat in Cardiff since 1899. This was followed by a defeat to England on the same pitch a month later, which was Thomas last game for his country, and was seen as the end of the First Golden Age of Welsh rugby.