Thomas Judson

Thomas Haigh Judson ( (c)1857 – 4 September 1908) was an English-born international rugby union player who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales.[1] Judson would later become a member of the first London Welsh team.

For the Elizabethan printer, see Thomas Judson (printer).

Thomas Judson

Birth name	Thomas Haigh Judson
Place of birth	Ashton-under-Lyne, England
Place of death	Southport, England
Occupation(s)	teacher
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) ? ?-1885 1885-? ? Oxford University RFC Llanelli RFC London Welsh RFC Rosslyn Park F.C. () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1882-1883 Wales 2 (0)

Rugby career

Judson won his first international cap when, as a member of first class team Llanelli, he was selected to play in the inaugural Home Nations Championship against England. Under the captaincy of Charles Lewis, Judson was one of three Llanelli players in the Wales squad, the others being Alfred Cattell and Harry Bowen. Wales were competent, but unspectacular and were out-classed by Australian wing Charles Wade, in a four tries and two goals to nil loss. Judson was reselected for his second and final international game in the game against Scotland as part of the same Championship. This was the first meeting between the two nations, and was played at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. Wales lost by three goals to one, but Judson scored the Welsh try, making him the first ever tries scorer against Scotland for his country.

In 1885 Judson was living in London and on 24 June was present at meeting which saw the creation of Welsh exile club, London Welsh. The meeting states that Judson was elected club treasurer,[2] and on 25 October 1885, a London Welsh team faced London Scottish in which Judson was amongst the Welsh forwards.[3] Later that year he was part of a joint London Welsh / London Scottish team that faced a London XV, in a charity match at The Oval, to benefit the London poor. The match was watched by a crowd of 8,000 and amongst the spectators was the Prince of Wales.[4]

International matches played

Wales (rugby union)[5]

•  England 1882
•  Scotland 1883

Bibliography

• Godwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883-1983. Grafton Street, London: Willow Books. ISBN 0-00-218060-X.
• Jones, Stephen; Paul Beken (1985). Dragon in Exile, The Centenary History of London Welsh R.F.C. London: Springwood Books. ISBN 0-86254-125-5.
• Smith, David; Williams, Gareth (1980). Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-0766-3.

References

1. Wales Rugby Union player profiles
2. Jones (1985), pg 3.
3. Jones (1985), pg 6.
4. Jones (1985), pg 8.
5. Smith (1980), pg 468.