David Thom

David Thom (14 February 1910 – December 1981) was a Scotland international rugby union player. He became the 79th President of the Scottish Rugby Union.[1]

David Thom
Birth nameDavid Alexander Thom
Date of birth(1910-02-14)14 February 1910
Place of birthHawick, Scotland
Date of deathc.1 December 1981(1981-12-01) (aged 71)
Place of deathWandsworth, London, England
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight79 kg (12 st 6 lb; 174 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1927
1927-29
1929-		 Hawick Y.M.
Hawick
London Scottish		 ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1927
1929		 South of Scotland District
Anglo-Scots		 ()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1934-35 Scotland 5 (3)
79th President of the Scottish Rugby Union
In office
1965–1966
Preceded byRoss Logan
Succeeded byMark Stewart

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Thom was playing for the Hawick Y.M.C.A. side, Hawick Y.M.,[2] before then playing for Hawick.[3]

He was still playing for Hawick right at the start of the 1929–30 season when he was a reserve for the Hawick side for the Kelso Sevens.[4]

His last game for Hawick was on 26 October 1929 he where contributed in a fine victory over Selkirk.[5]

Thom moved to London for work and then played for London Scottish.[6]

He was one of the famous London Scottish 'live wires'.[3]

In October 1933, a notable London Scottish win over Blackheath hit the headlines. More remarkable than the win was the versatility of Thom. The London Scottish scrum half George McLaren broke a bone in his wrist and couldn't continue. To the surprise of the crowd it was Thom who then filled in at scrum half. The Edinburgh Evening News reported:[7]

Thom tackled the job like an expert. Not only did he sling the ball out in the approved manner but he surprised his international vis-a-vis E. B. Pope by 'dummying' his way through on more than one occasion.

He was one of the London Scottish sevens side that reached the final of the 1937 Melrose Sevens, only to be beaten by Gala by a last minute score.[8]

Provincial career

He was picked for the South of Scotland District against Edinburgh District for their junior match on 26 February 1927.[2]

He was picked for the Anglo-Scots side to play the combined North and South district on 21 December 1929.[9][10]

Thom played the match. The Anglo-Scots were beaten 14–13.[11]

International career

He was capped 5 times for Scotland in the period 1934–35.[12]

Administrative career

He became the 79th President of the Scottish Rugby Union. He served the standard one year from 1965 to 1966.[13]

Outside of rugby union

He worked in London for Peter Scott & Co. Ltd, a hosiery manufacturer.[3]

References
  1. "David Alexander Thom". ESPN scrum.
  2. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  3. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  4. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  5. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  6. The Essential History of Rugby Union:Scotland. Nick Oswald and John Griffiths. Headline Publishing. 2003.
  7. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  8. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  9. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  10. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  11. "Register | British Newspaper Archive". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
  12. "Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - David Thom - Test matches". ESPN scrum.
  13. https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sru-files/files/SR_RR1819_digital.pdf
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