Thomas Smales

For the rugby league footballer for Wigan, Barrow, and Featherstone Rovers, see Tommy Smales.
Tommy Smales
Personal information
Full name Tom Smales
Born January→March 1935
Playing information
Height 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Weight 11 st 7 lb (73.0 kg; 161.0 lb)
Position Scrum-half/Halfback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1958–59 Castleford 4 0 0 0 0
196?–6? Huddersfield 111 1
196?–6? Bradford Northern
1967 North Sydney 9 0 0 0 0
Total 13 111 1 0 0
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1962–75 England 2 0 0 0 0
1962–65 Great Britain 8 2 0 0 6
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1969–70 Castleford 67 46 2 19 69
Source: rugbyleagueproject.org englandrl.co.uk

Tom "Tommy" Smales (January→March 1935 (age 79–80)[1]) birth registered in Pontefract, is an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s, '60s and '70s, and coach of the 1960s and '70s, playing at representative level for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Castleford, Huddersfield (Captain), Bradford Northern, and North Sydney Bears, as a Scrum-half/Halfback, i.e. number 7, and coaching at club level for Castleford.

Playing career

International honours

Tommy Smales won caps for England while at Huddersfield in 1962 against France, while Unattached in 1975 against Papua New Guinea (sub),[2] and won caps for Great Britain while at Huddersfield in 1962 against France, in 1963 against France, and Australia, in 1964 against France (2 matches), while at Bradford in 1965 against New Zealand (3 matches).[3]

Tommy Smales is the only player to ever win an England cap while Unattached.

Championship final appearances

Tommy Smales played Scrum-half/Halfback, and was Captain in Huddersfield's 14–5 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the Rugby Football League Championship final during the 1961–62 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 19 May 1962.[4]

Challenge Cup final appearances

Tommy Smales played Scrum-half/Halfback, and was Captain in Huddersfield's 6-12 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1961–62 Challenge Cup final during the 1961–62 season at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 12 May 1962.[5]

County Cup final appearances

Tommy Smales played Scrum-half/Halfback, and scored a try in Huddersfield's 15-8 victory over York in the 1957 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1957–58 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 19 October 1957, and played Scrum-half/Halfback in the 10-16 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1960 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1960.

Coaching career

Championship final Appearances

Tommy Smales was the coach in Dewsbury's 22-13 victory over Leeds in the Rugby Football League Championship final during the 1972–73 at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 19 May 1973.

Note

Somewhat confusingly, Tommy Smales played in the same era as the unrelated Wigan, Barrow and Featherstone Rovers Loose forward/Lock of the 1950s and '60s, Thomas "Tommy" Smales.

References

  1. ↑ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. ↑ Edgar, Harry (2008). Rugby League Journal Annual 2009 [Page-57]. Rugby League Journal Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9548355-4-5
  5. ↑ Briggs, Cyril & Edwards, Barry (12 May 1962). The Rugby League Challenge Cup Competition - Final Tie - Huddersfield v Wakefield Trinity - Match Programme. Wembley Stadium Ltd. ISBN n/a

External links