Rowland 'Rowley' Lewis Thomas (11 July 1864 – 21 January 1949) was a Welsh international

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

forward who played club rugby for

London Welsh London Welsh Rugby Football Club () was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, after gaining promotion from ...

, of whom he was a founding member, and county rugby for Middlesex. Thomas played international rugby for

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

and was capped seven times.

Rugby career

Thomas played rugby for several teams throughout his playing career, including

Llanelli ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire and the Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is on the estuary of the River Loughor and is the largest town in the Principal areas of Wales, ...

and University College Hospital, but it his time with London Welsh that brought him to the attention of the international selectors. Thomas was part of a group of like-minded Welsh sportsmen, based in London, that decide to create their own club. In 1885 Thomas was one of the founding members of London Welsh, becoming a member of the committee.Jones (1985), pg 3. In September of the same year, Thomas was selected as part of the very first London Welsh team against London Scottish, alongside Welsh internationals Arthur Gould and

Martyn Jordan Martyn Jordan (7 March 1865 – 14 July 1902) was an England, English-born international rugby union player who played club rugby for London Welsh RFC, London Welsh and Newport RFC, Newport and international rugby for Wales national rugby unio ...

.Jones (1985), pg 6. During the 1889/90 season, Thomas was given the captaincy of London Welsh and saw the club's first visiting Welsh team, when the club welcomed Llanelli in 1889.Jones (1985), pg 15. In 1889 Thomas was first selected to represent Wales in a match against Scotland, as part of the Home Nations Championship. Under the captaincy of

Frank Hill Frank Robert Hill (21 May 1906 – 28 August 1993) was a Scottish football player and manager. Playing career Forfar and Aberdeen Hill was born in Forfar and started his career at Forfar Athletic, joining the club in 1924. He moved to Aberdee ...

, Wales lost the game by two tries to nil. Thomas played in the very next game of the tournament to Ireland which ended in another Welsh loss to an identical score line as the Scotland game. Thomas played just one game in the next year's

Championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this sys ...

, an away draw to Ireland. The 1891 tournament saw Thomas selected for all three matches, including his first game against England. During the tournament, Thomas switched from London Welsh to Llanelli, and played his final three international matches while representing the South Wales club. His final game was in 1892 against England which saw Wales beaten comprehensively.

International matches played

Wales (rugby union)Smith (1980), pg 472. * 1891, 1892 * 1889, 1890, 1891 * 1889, 1891

Personal life

Thomas was educated at

Llandovery College Llandovery College () is a coeducational independent boarding and day school in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. The college consists of Gollop Preparatory, Senior School and Sixth Form. It was previously known as "Welsh College, Llandovery" ...

in Wales but studied medicine in London. He was seen as considerable all-round sportsman,Jones (1985), pg 6. and was an excellent shot, proficient horseman and keen

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. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Thomas served his country as a medical officer in the Welsh Horse Cavalry Regiment, based in Egypt. Thomas was a medical

coroner A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into the manner or cause of death. The official may also investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within th ...

for West Carmarthenshire for 24 years. He was also a leading member of the Carmarthenshire Hunt, and at his funeral his hunting clothes and boots were placed alongside him in his coffin. Thomas was also a descendant of Daniel Rowland the Methodist cleric.

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Rowley Welsh rugby union players Wales international rugby union players 1864 births 1949 deaths People educated at Llandovery College 19th-century Welsh medical doctors 20th-century Welsh medical doctors British Army personnel of World War I Llanelli RFC players British coroners London Welsh RFC players Rugby union forwards Rugby union players from Carmarthenshire