Tom Rees (rugby union, born 1913)

Thomas Rees (8 May 1913 – 19 February 1991) was a Welsh international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Newport RFC. He was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1935 touring All Blacks.

Tom Rees

Birth name	Thomas James Rees
Date of birth	(1913-05-08)8 May 1913
Place of birth	Fleur-de-Lys, Caerphilly Wales
Date of death	19 February 1991(1991-02-19) (aged 77)
Place of death	Fleur-de-Lys, Caerphilly, Wales
School	Fleur de Lys Council School
Occupation(s)	miner police officer
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Ebbw Vale RFC () 1934-1939 Newport RFC () – Abertillery RFC () – Cross Keys RFC () – Pontypool RFC () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1935-1937 Wales 8 (0)

Rugby career

Rees joined Newport in 1934 after joining Newport Police Force. In 1935 he was part of the Newport team that faced the touring New Zealand team. Newport lost the game 17-5 in a game noted for its physicality in the scrum and during rucks. Rees was also chosen to represent Wales against the same touring New Zealand team, but earlier in the year had already gained his first Welsh cap when he was selected to face both Scotland and Ireland in the Home Nations Championship.

Rees' first international match was against Scotland under the captaincy of Claude Davey. Wales won the game 10-6, mainly thanks to an impressive display from Cliff Jones. His second international, at Ravenhill in Belfast, saw Wales lose to Ireland, the eventual tournament winners. His next international game was against the New Zealand tourists in a close game which Wales won in the last few minutes. In 1936 Rees played in all three games of the Home Nations Championship which Wales won after beating Scotland and Ireland and drawing with England. Rees played in the first two games of the 1937 Championship, with his final game being against Scotland at St Helens.

In 1938 Rees was approached to play for the British Lions in their 1938 tour of South Africa, but turned them down for financial reasons.

International games played

Wales

• England 1936, 1937
• Ireland 1935, 1936, 1937
• New Zealand 1935
• Scotland 1935, 1936

Bibliography

• Billot, John (1972). All Blacks in Wales. Ferndale: Ron Jones Publications.
• Godwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883-1983. London: Willows Books. ISBN 0-00-218060-X.
• Smith, David; Williams, Gareth (1980). Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-0766-3.