Name Thomas Smales | Height 1.68 m | |
English rugby league player Thomas Smales Died at 83
Thomas "Tommy" Smales (January→March 1935 (age 81–82)) birth registered in Pontefract, is an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, and coached in the 1960s, and 1970s, playing at representative level for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Castleford, Huddersfield (Captain), Bradford Northern, North Sydney Bears, and Wakefield Trinity (Heritage № 736), as a scrum-half/halfback, i.e. number 7, and coaching at club level for Castleford, and Featherstone Rovers (twice).
Contents
- English rugby league player Thomas Smales Died at 83
- International honours
- Championship Final appearances
- Challenge Cup Final appearances
- County Cup Final appearances
- Club career
- Outside of rugby league
- Note
- References
International honours
Tommy Smales won a cap for England while at Huddersfield in 1962 against France, and won caps for Great Britain while at Huddersfield in 1962 against France, in 1963 against France, and Australia, in 1964 against France (2 matches), and while at Bradford in 1965 against New Zealand (3 matches).
Championship Final appearances
Tommy Smales played scrum-half/halfback, and was Captain in Huddersfield's 14-5 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the Championship Final during the 1961–62 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 19 May 1962.
Challenge Cup Final appearances
Tommy Smales played scrum-half/halfback, and was Captain in Huddersfield's 6-12 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1962 Challenge Cup Final during the 1961–62 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 12 May 1962, in front of a crowd of 81,263.
County Cup Final appearances
Tommy Smales played scrum-half/halfback, and scored a try in Huddersfield's 15-8 victory over York in the 1957 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1957–58 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 19 October 1957, played scrum-half/halfback in the 10-16 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1960 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1960, and played scrum-half/halfback in Bradford Northern's 17-8 victory over Hunslet in the 1965 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1965–66 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 16 October 1965.
Club career
Tommy Smales made his début for Featherstone Rovers on Saturday 25 September 1965, he appears to have scored no drop-goals (or field-goals as they are currently known in Australasia), but prior to the 1974–75 season all goals, whether; conversions, penalties, or drop-goals, scored 2-points, consequently prior to this date drop-goals were often not explicitly documented, therefore '0' drop-goals may indicate drop-goals not recorded, rather than no drop-goals scored.
Challenge Cup Final appearances
Tommy Smales was the coach in Castleford's 7-2 victory over Wigan in the 1970 Challenge Cup Final during the 1969–70 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 9 May 1970, in front of a crowd of 95,255.
Outside of rugby league
Tommy Smales was the landlord of the Traveller's Rest public house, Pontefract Road, Featherstone for 35-years, from 1969 until 2004.
Note
Somewhat confusingly, Tommy Smales played in the same era as the unrelated Wigan, Barrow and Featherstone Rovers loose forward/lock who played in the 1950s, and 1960s, Thomas "Tommy" Smales.