Alan Tomes Explained

Birth Name:Alan James Tomes
Birth Date:1951 11, df=yes
Birth Place:Hawick, Scotland
Height:1.96m (06.43feet)
Weight:100kg (200lb)
Ru Position:Lock
Amatyears1:-
Amatteam1:Gateshead Fell
Amatyears2:-
Amatteam2:Hawick
Ru Provinceyears:-
Ru Province:South of Scotland
Scotland Probables
Repyears1:1975
Repteam1:Scotland 'B'
Repcaps1:1
Repyears2:1976-87
Repteam2:Scotland
Repcaps2:48
Reppoints2:12

Alan Tomes (born 6 November 1951) is a former Scotland international rugby union player.[1]

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Born in Hawick, Tomes moved to Gateshead when he was 8 years old. He played rugby for Gateshead Fell.

His grandfather, still in Hawick, told Robin Charters of his rugby loving grandson in the north-east of England.

Tomes recalls:[2]

Dad got a phonecall from [club stalwart] Robin Charters: 'How big’s this boy of yours, Charlie?’ I was 6ft 5ins so I got asked up to Mansfield Park for a trial. Robin told me to go into the changing-room and introduce myself. Fourteen other guys wondered: 'Who’s this big bugger?’ I was a bit forward, calling myself a replacement for Jim Scott. Plus, Jim Renwick was in full flow with a funny story and I interrupted him. Not an auspicious first day!

He then played for Hawick.

Provincial career

He was capped by South of Scotland District.[3]

He played for Scotland Probables on 11 January 1975.[4]

International career

He was capped by Scotland 'B' against France 'B' in 1975.

He had 48 caps for Scotland.[5]

He toured South Africa in 1980 with the British and Irish Lions.

He also played for the Barbarians. Tomes remembered:[2]

I remember making a 50-yard break for the Barbarians and the attitude of my English colleagues was: 'Middle-rows just don’t do that.' England have never played a loose game whereas, bulk or no bulk, Scots have always wanted to have a go.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alan James Tomes. ESPN scrum.
  2. Web site: Interview: Alan Tomes on Scotland's first trip to Japan to play their 'wee guys'. scotsman.com.
  3. Web site: The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search. news.google.com.
  4. Web site: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000445/19750111/119/0005. British Newspaper Archive.
  5. Web site: Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - Alan Tomes - Test matches. ESPN scrum.