Tommy Hayes is a former Irish

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 ...

player. His preferred position was number 8. When he first moved from Ireland to England, Hayes played at

Plymouth Albion Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club who play in Plymouth, England. The present club was founded in 1920 from a merger between Plymouth RFC (founded 1876) and Devonport Albion RFC (founded 1876). Since 2003 they have played ...

but then transferred to

Exeter Chiefs Exeter Chiefs (officially Exeter Rugby Club) is an England, English professional rugby union club based in Exeter, Devon. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded in 1871 and since 2006 has played i ...

where he remained for the rest of his career. He was their captain in May 2010 when they defeated

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

in a 2 legged playoff, to win promotion to the Aviva Premiership. Hayes remained as captain the following season which was Exeter's first in the English professional top flight. Exeter Chiefs announced Tommy's Retirement on 6 November 2013, citing a troublesome back injury as his reason for retiring. He is the brother of record setting Irish

Prop A prop, formally known as a (theatrical) property, is an object actors use on stage or screen during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...

John Hayes. Following in the footsteps of his older brother John, Tom also played for County Limerick team Bruff R.F.C. as a youths player, winning an U18 AIL medal during the 1997 season which Bruff shared with Corinthians following a final which was tied after extra time.

References

External links

Munster Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hayes, Tommy 1980 births Living people Rugby union players from Limerick (city) Irish rugby union players Shannon RFC players Munster Rugby players Plymouth Albion R.F.C. players Exeter Chiefs players Rugby union locks Rugby union number eights Irish expatriate rugby union players in England