Tom Pook (1869 – 21 February 1948) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

-born Wales international rugby forward who played

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 it ...

for Newport and

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 11 ...

with Holbeck (in Holbeck,

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...

). Although short for a forward player at five foot six, Pook was described as possessing clever play and was good in the scrummage.Alcock (1997)

Rugby career

Pook came to note as a rugby player as part of first class Welsh team, Newport. Pook was part of the Newport team who during 1891/92 completed the season as 'invincibles' having not lost a single match. In 1895, Pook was selected to represent

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

in the country's second game of the 1895 Home Nations Championship, against Scotland. Under the captaincy of Wales rugby legend Arthur Gould, Pook was one of three Welsh players to make their début in the match. The other's being

Pontypridd () ( colloquially: Ponty) is a town and a community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Geography comprises the electoral wards of , Hawthorn, Pontypridd Town, 'Rhondda', Rhydyfelin Central/Ilan ( Rhydfelen), Trallwng ( Trallwn) and Treforest (). ...

's Ernie George and

Llanelli Llanelli (" St Elli's Parish"; ) is a market town and the largest community in Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is located on the Loughor estuary north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarth ...

's Evan Lloyd. Wales initially threatened to pull out of the game, due to the team's belief that the

Raeburn Place Raeburn Place is the main street of the suburb of Stockbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland, and the name of the playing fields there. Rugby The first ever international rugby football game was played on the playing fields at Raeburn Place on 27 Ma ...

pitch was frozen, but agreed to compete when the playing field was shortneded by 20 yards to avoid a dangerous section of the field.Godwin (1984) pg 43. Wales lost the game 5-4 and Pook did not represent Wales again. In 1898 Pook turned professional by switching to rugby league team Holbeck, making his début on 3 September.

International matches played

Wales (rugby union)Smith (1980) pg. 470 * 1895

External links

*(archived by web.archive.org
Newport RFC player profile

Bibliography

* * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pook, Tom 1869 births 1948 deaths English people of Welsh descent English rugby league players English rugby union players Holbeck F.C. players Newport RFC players Rugby league players from Devon Rugby union players from Plymouth, Devon Wales international rugby union players Welsh rugby union players Rugby union forwards