Gwyn Thomas (rugby)
William Gwyn Thomas was a Welsh rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s and 1920s who played invitational level rugby union for Barbarian F.C., and at club level for Cardiff and London Welsh, and representative level rugby league for Great Britain, Wales and Other Nationalities, and at club level for Wigan and Huddersfield, as a or, i.e. number 1, or, 3 or 4.
Whilst playing for Wigan Thomas was selected to go on the 1914 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, playing as a in the second Test match of the Ashes series against Australia.
Thomas played rugby union for Barbarian F.C. against South Africa in November 1915. At this time the animosity the rugby union code against the rugby league code would normally have precluded any professional league footballer from ever playing rugby union again, however this match took place during World War I, and for the morale of the country, the antagonism between the codes was temporarily relaxed.
Whilst playing for Huddersfield Thomas was selected to go on the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour of Australasia. He was vice-captain, and played at fullback in all three Test matches of the Ashes series. He also played in two Test matches against New Zealand.
During the 1921–22 Kangaroo tour Thomas was selected to play for Great Britain at against Australia in all three test matches of the Ashes, which was won by the British.
