Lewis Cobden Thomas (6 August 1865 – 14 April 1928) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

international

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

forward who played club rugby for

Neath Neath (; cy, Castell-nedd) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a po ...

and Cardiff Rugby Football Club and international rugby for

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

. In 1900 he became the Mayor of

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Personal history

Thomas was born in 1865, and was educated at various colleges before matriculating to

Aberystwyth University , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...

.Jenkins (1991), pg. 154 He became a solicitor and founded a legal firm in Neath. He was elected onto Neath Town Council in 1897 and was made mayor in 1900. As well as a keen rugby player, Thomas was also a powerful swimmer and rescued a man from drowning in the Blue Pool, Pontsarn in

Merthyr Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...

. For this action he was awarded Certificate of the Royal Humane Society.

Rugby career

Thomas was capped for Wales twice. He was first selected for the Welsh squad in the opening game of the

1885 Home Nations Championship The 1885 Home Nations Championship was the third series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, but the tournament was not completed. The 1885 Championship was notable for the disp ...

in a match played at

St Helen's St Helens or St. Helen's may refer to: Places Australia * St Helens, Queensland (Fraser Coast Region), a locality in the Fraser Coast Region * St Helens, Queensland (Toowoomba Region), a locality in the Toowoomba Region * St Helens Beach, Queenslan ...

against England. Thomas was one of three first caps in the Welsh pack for the game, the other two were

Ernest Rowland Ernest Melville Rowlands (21 September 1864 – 7 April 1940) was a Welsh international rugby union player who played rugby for St David's College, Lampeter, and international rugby for Wales. Personal life Rowland was born in Neath, 1864 t ...

from

Lampeter University University of Wales, Lampeter ( cy, Prifysgol Cymru, Llanbedr Pont Steffan) was a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822, and incorporated by royal charter in 1828, it was the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales, with limited ...

and Swansea's

Evan Richards Evan Sloane Richards (23 January 1862 – 19 April 1931) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea, captaining the club through three seasons during the 1880s. Richards' father was Member of Parliament for ...

, but the team is best remembered for introducing Arthur Gould to the Wales team. Wales lost the game, but Thomas was re-selected for the very next game, away to Scotland. Wales drew the game in a nil - nil result and Thomas was dropped for the next tournament. His cap and jersey are held at the Neath clubhouse.

International matches played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 472. * 1885 * 1885

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Lewis Cobden 1865 births 1928 deaths Alumni of Aberystwyth University Alumni of Cardiff University Cardiff RFC players Neath RFC players People educated at Llandovery College Councillors in Wales Mayors of places in Wales Rugby union forwards Rugby union players from Merthyr Tydfil Welsh rugby union players Wales international rugby union players