Tom Lawton, Snr

Tom Lawton

Full name	Tom Lawton
Nickname	The Loping Ghost
Date of birth	16 January 1899
Place of birth	Cungumbogan, Queensland
Date of death	1 July 1978
Place of death	Greenslopes, Queensland
School	Brisbane Grammar School
University	University of Queensland Sydney University Oxford University
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Stand-off half
Professional / senior clubs Years Club / team Apps (points) 1919 1919 1920 1922-23 1925 Queensland University Past Grammar Sydney University Oxford University RFC Western Suburbs Valley Brisbane
Provincial/State sides Years Club / team Apps (points) 1920-28 1919-32 New South Wales Queensland 38 13
National team(s) Years Club / team Apps (points) 1920-32 Wallabies 14 (60)

Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Apps	(points)
1919 1919 1920 1922-23 1925	Queensland University Past Grammar Sydney University Oxford University RFC Western Suburbs Valley Brisbane

Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Apps	(points)
1920-28 1919-32	New South Wales Queensland	38 13

National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Apps	(points)
1920-32	Wallabies	14	(60)

Tom Lawton Snr (16 January 1899 — 1 July 1978) was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative five-eighth who made 44 appearances for the Wallabies, played in 14 Test matches and captained the national side on ten occasions.

Born at Waterford, Queensland he entered Brisbane Grammar School in 1913 where he excelled at sport. He represented in the school's first XI for four years, was captain in 1916 & 1917; adjudged best fielder in 1915 & 1916 and topped the batting average in 1917. He rowed in the school VIII for three years, played tennis, won at athletics and was school swimming champion and school captain in 1917. He played in the school's rugby first XV for three years and was the best back in 1916 and 1917.

In 1918 he was a gunner in France with the 12th Field Artillery Brigade of the AIF. After the war he commenced a science degree at the University of Queensland. He represented for Queensland in rugby union in 1919 the final year before the sport massively lost its popularity to rugby league prompting the Queensland Rugby Union hiatus that lasted until 1929.

In 1920 he transferred to Sydney University to pursue his medical studies at St. Andrew's College. He played rugby at the Sydney University club. He won a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University in 1922 residing at New College. He played sixty games in 1922-23 for Oxford, Blackheath, New College and the Barbarians. He was selected to captain the Oxford side but was challenged for having played rugby league in his career. He represented Oxford in athletics, swimming and water polo.

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