George Thomas (rugby)

George W. Thomas
Personal information
Full name George W. Thomas
Nickname Ponty
Born 1881
Pontnewydd, Wales
Died 3 July 1916 (aged 35)
Somme, France
Playing information
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight 12 st 11 lb (81 kg)
Rugby union

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Pontnewydd RFC
–1903 Newport RFC
Total 0 0 0 0 0
Rugby league
Position Prop, Second-row

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1903–14 Warrington 385 47 199 0 539
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≥1903–14 Lancashire
Other Nationalities
1908–12 Wales 2 1 2
1908 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0

George W. 'Ponty' Thomas (1881 – 3 July 1916) was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s, and 1910s, playing club rugby union (RU) for Pontnewydd RFC, and Newport RFC, and playing representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, Wales, Other Nationalities, and Lancashire, and at club level for Warrington (Heritage № 111), as a prop, or second-row, i.e. number 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums. Born in Pontnewydd, Wales, he died at the Somme on 3 July 1916 while serving with the South Lancashire Regiment of the British Army; he was 35 years old.[1][2]

Thomas originally played rugby under the union code in Wales, where he represented Pontnewydd and Newport. He left Newport in 1903 to join Warrington, severing his links with rugby union.

Playing career

International honours

George Thomas won three caps while playing under the league code while at Warrington, but for different teams. Thomas played for Wales in the country's first international when they faced the touring New Zealand All Golds at Abardare in 1908.[3] He then faced the same touring New Zealand team later in the year, but at this point he was representing Great Britain, he also represented the Other Nationalities.[4] These two games made Thomas Warrington's first international player.

Challenge Cup Final appearances

George Thomas played in Warrington's 3-8 defeat by Halifax in the 1904 Challenge Cup Final during the 1903–04 season at The Willows, Salford, played in the 6-0 victory over Hull Kingston Rovers in the 1905 Challenge Cup Final during the 1904–05 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds, played in the 17-3 victory over Oldham in the 1907 Challenge Cup Final during the 1906–07 season at Wheater's Field, Broughton, Salford, and played in the 5-9 defeat by Huddersfield in the 1913 Challenge Cup Final during the 1912–13 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds.

Notable tour matches

George Thomas played left-second-row, i.e. number 11, in Warrington's 10-3 victory over Australia in the 1908–09 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain tour match during the 1908–09 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington, Saturday 14 November 1908, in front of a crowd of 5,000, due to the strikes in the cotton mills, the attendance was badly affected, the loss of earnings meant that some fans could not afford to watch the first tour by the Australian rugby league team.[5]

Club career

George Thomas made his début for Warrington in the 8-3 victory over Leigh at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington in 1903, his final match was in the 5-8 defeat by Broughton Rangers at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington in 1914.

Career records

George Thomas played prop, and scored 5-tries and 9-conversions for 33-points (worth 38-points in the current 4-points per try era) in the 78-6 victory over St. Helens at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Monday 12 April 1909,[6][7] this remained the highest points in a match for Warrington player until Lee Briers scored 40-points (3-tries and 14-conversions) in the 84-1 victory over York Wasps in the Challenge Cup at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Sunday 27 February 2000, this was subsequently extended by Lee Briers to 44-points (3-tries and 16-conversions) in the 112-0 victory over Swinton Lions in the Challenge Cup at Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington on Friday 20 May 2011.

Honoured at Warrington Wolves

George Thomas is a Warrington Wolves Hall of Fame inductee.[8]

References

  1. ↑ 100th Anniversary of 1st Cup Win Warringtonwolves.org
  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 Northern Union Archived 28 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Warringtonwolves.org
  4. ↑ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  5. ↑ "100 years since Wire took on the Aussies for the first time". warringtonwolves.com. 31 December 2015. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "History of Warrington Rugby League Club". britishrugbyleague.blogspot.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "Warrington 78 v 6 St Helens". saints.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  8. ↑ "Hall of Fame at Wire2Wolves.com". wire2wolves.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
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