Willie Thomas
| Full name | William Henry Thomas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 22 March 1866 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Fishguard, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 11 October 1921 (aged 55) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Beccles, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Llandovery College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Corpus Christi College, Cambridge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position(s) | Forward | ||
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| Amateur team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| ?-1886 1886-? 1888-1890 1890-? |
Llandovery College Cambridge University R.U.F.C. London Welsh RFC Llanelli RFC |
() | |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1885–1891 1888 |
Wales British Isles |
11 0 |
(0) (0) |
William 'Willie' Henry Thomas (22 March 1866 – 11 October 1921) was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli and London Welsh. He was capped eleven times for Wales and captained the team on two occasions. In 1888, Thomas was chosen to tour New Zealand and Australia as part of the first British Isles team. This unofficial tour did not play any international opposition and no caps were awarded.
Thomas was born in Fishguard in 1866 to E.B. Thomas of Pembrokeshire. He was educated at Llandovery College before graduating to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in 1885.
In 1885, while still a schoolboy at Llandovery College, Thomas was selected for the final Welsh game of the Home Nations Championship. Captained by Newport's Charlie Newman, Wales engineered a draw through unsporting tactics, mainly by killing the ball whenever possible by lying on it. Thomas was reselected for both Welsh games of the 1886 Home Nations Championship, still representing Llandovery for the opening game against England at Blackheath, but having progressed to the Cambridge University team by the time Wales hosted Scotland a week later. Wales lost both matches, but in the second game at the Cardiff Arms Park against Scotland, Thomas was part of the first Welsh team to trial the four three-quarter system. In 1886 and 1887, Thomas was on the winning Cambridge team in the Varsity match against Oxford, collecting two sporting Blues.
Thomas played twice in the 1887 Championship, in the losses to England and Scotland, but missed the win over Ireland when he was replaced by William Towers. Thomas was back for both games of the 1888 Championship, but by now was representing London based exiles, London Welsh. The opening game saw the very first Welsh win over Scotland, thanks to a debut try from Thomas Pryce-Jenkins. This was also the first winning international game Thomas had been part of, though the team could not capitalise on their success when they were beaten by Ireland in the second and final game of the tournament.
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