Tom Pook

Tom Pook

Full name	Thomas Richard Pook
Place of birth	Plymouth, England
Place of death	Newport, Wales
Height	5 ft 6 in
Weight	12 st
Rugby league career
Position	Forward
Professional clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1898-?	Holbeck Rugby Club
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Forward
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
? 1890-1896	Maindee FC Newport RFC
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1895	Wales	1	(0)

Tom Pook (1869 – 21 February 1948) was an English-born Wales international rugby forward who played rugby union for Newport and rugby league with Holbeck. Although short for a forward player at five foot six, Pook was described as possessing clever play and was good in the scrummage.

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 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 debut in the match. The other's being Pontypridd's Ernie George and Llanelli's Evan Lloyd. Wales initially threatened to pull out of the game, due to the team's belief that the Raeburn Place pitch was frozen, but agreed to compete when the playing field was shortneded by 20 yards to avoid a dangerous section of the field. Wales lost the game 5-4 and Pook did not represent his country again.

In 1898 Pook turned professional by switching to rugby league team Holbeck, making his debut on 3 September.

International matches played

Wales (rugby union)

• Scotland 1895

External links

• Newport RFC player profile