Gareth Thomas (rugby)

For other people named Gareth Thomas, see Gareth Thomas (disambiguation).

Gareth Thomas

Thomas at a reception at 10 Downing Street in 2011.
Personal information
Nickname	Alfie
Born	25 July 1974 (1974-07-25) Sarn, Bridgend, Wales
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight	103kg
Playing information
Rugby union
Position	Fullback, Wing, Centre
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
199?–199?	Bridgend
199?–199?	Pontypridd	0	0	0	0	0
199?–1997	Bridgend
1997–2001	Cardiff
2001–2003	Bridgend
2003–2004	Celtic Warriors
2004–2007	Toulouse
2007–2010	Cardiff Blues	60	12	0	0	60
	Total	60	12	0	0	60
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1995–2007	Wales	100	40	0	0	200
2005	British and Irish Lions	3	1	0	0	5
Rugby league
Position	Wing, Centre, Second-row
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2010–2011	Crusaders	31	7	0	0	28
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2010	Wales	4	3	0	0	12
As of 23 October 2010
Source: Rugby League Project

Gareth Thomas (born 25 July 1974), known as Alfie, is a very kind and retired Welsh professional rugby footballer who played rugby league for the Crusaders RL in the Super League. He also previously played rugby union for the Cardiff Blues and Wales as a fullback, wing or centre.

On 26 May 2007, Thomas surpassed Gareth Llewellyn as the most-capped Wales rugby union player with his 93rd appearance. During the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Thomas scored a try in what was his final game for Wales, and in the process created sporting history when he became the first Welshman to win 100 international caps in rugby union. His cap record was surpassed by Stephen Jones in September 2011. Thomas is listed 11th in the world on the international list of leading Rugby union Test try scorers and he is the 2nd highest Wales try scorer behind Shane Williams.

On 6 October 2010 Thomas became a dual code international when he represented the Wales national rugby league team against Italy at the Wrexham Racecourse Ground. On 25 October 2011 Thomas announced his retirement from professional sport.

According to an article in Sports Illustrated on 3 May 2010, Thomas was notable as the world's only then-current professional male athlete in a team sport who was openly gay, although cricketer Steven Davies, volleyball player Michael Dos Santos and footballer Anton Hysén have since come out. In December 2009 Thomas was voted top of the Pink List in 2010 of the 101 most influential gay people in the UK and he received Stonewall’s Hero of the Year award in October 2010. Thomas is a supporter of Childline and is co-founder of Distinct Management and PR with his manager Emanuele Palladino.

Club career

Thomas started his career at Pencoed RFC at youth level before starting his first class career at Bridgend. He then moved to Pontypridd, but never actually played a game for them before re-signing for Bridgend. He then spent a spell at Cardiff starting in 1997 before rejoining hometown club Bridgend again in 2001 and captaining them to a Welsh Premier Division title in 2003, in a campaign where they were unbeaten at home and only lost to runners-up Neath and Cardiff away. He then joined the Celtic Warriors once the Welsh Rugby Union implemented its regional rugby plans for the 2003-04 season. After one season as captain of the Warriors, the region was disbanded by the then-WRU chief David Moffett and owner Leighton Samuel, although Thomas had already agreed a deal to join French club Toulouse where he was seen as the ideal replacement for soon-to-retire captain Émile N'Tamack. He helped the club to a Heineken Cup victory in 2005 after a victory over Stade Français at Murrayfield. On 20 January 2007, Cardiff Blues completed a deal to bring Thomas back to Wales for the 2007-08 season.^{[citation needed]}

International career

Gareth Thomas made his debut for Wales on 27 May 1995 against Japan. He scored a Welsh record-equalling four tries in the match against Italy in Treviso in 1999; one of only seven players to achieve that feat for his country. He held the Wales record for the most international tries with 40 until Shane Williams surpassed that total in the 2008 Six Nations Championship, but still retains the record for most Test appearances for his country, with 100. He surpassed the try record previously held by Ieuan Evans in 2004 against Italy. He also got a hat-trick of tries in the Second Test against Japan in 2001; 51 appearances after announcing his arrival on the international scene with a hat-trick in the 1995 World Cup game against the same opposition. Equally at home at centre, it was from that position he scored the longest interception try ever seen at the Arms Park, a 90 metre dash against Australia in 1996.

Thomas was selected for the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand. Following injury to Brian O'Driscoll in the opening minutes of the first test against New Zealand, he was made captain for the second and third tests of the series, becoming the ninth Welsh skipper in Lions' history.

In 2005 Thomas was found guilty of assault while playing rugby in France and in 2007 was banned for four weeks for misconduct charges.

Thomas was named as captain for Wales' final match in the 2007 Six Nations against England after current captain Stephen Jones was ruled out with a broken wrist. When Thomas took the field, he equalled Llewellyn's Wales record of 92 caps. He broke Llewellyn's record when he led Wales out against Australia at Telstra Stadium in Sydney on 26 May 2007, a match that Wales lost 29–23 on a Wallabies try after the siren.

His 100th, and last test match was in his team's defeat by Fiji in the 2007 World Cup.

Personal life

Thomas was born in Sarn near Bridgend. In August 2001, he married Jemma, whom he met when both were teenagers.[1][2] The couple married in St Brides Major, near Bridgend, and filed for divorce in 2007; it was finalized in 2009.[3] During the marriage, Jemma suffered three miscarriages.

In December 2009 Thomas announced publicly that he is gay. He told the Daily Mail, "I don't want to be known as a gay rugby player. I am a rugby player, first and foremost I am a man". Thomas' public confirmation of his sexuality made him the first openly gay professional rugby union player. In an interview with the BBC, Thomas talked about how he hoped that his coming out would mean that in the future, young gay rugby players would be able to come out and be accepted as a "talented gay rugby player". Thomas also said, "What I choose to do when I close the door at home has nothing to do with what I have achieved in rugby". Since coming out, Thomas has become a vocal supporter of the British charity ChildLine, a telephone counselling service for children and young people. In an interview, Thomas commented, "I don't know if my life is going to be easier because I'm out, but if it helps someone else, if it makes one young lad pick up the phone to ChildLine, then it will have been worth it".

Health scare

Thomas suffered a major health scare after the resignation of Welsh coach Mike Ruddock in February 2006. The resignation was blamed on player power from senior players. He had received a blow to his neck during a match then later on while watching a televised recording of an interview he had given regarding his part in the Mike Ruddock affair, he fell ill and was rushed to hospital with a suspected stroke, which was brought on by a ruptured artery in his neck. It was feared that this could lead to his retirement, but he resumed playing at the start of the 2006–07 French rugby season.

Nickname

Gareth Thomas is often referred to by the nickname "Alfie", gained as a result of a supposed resemblance to a character in a sitcom called ALF. His way of celebrating tries by slapping his head comes from a popular celebration among Cardiff City supporters known as "the Ayatollah".

Rugby league career

Thomas joined Crusaders in March 2010 on an 18 month deal. He made his Crusaders' (and rugby league) debut against French side Catalans Dragons on 19 March 2010. Thomas suffered a head injury during his debut, and as a result had to leave the field after thirty minutes. Crusaders went on to win the game 14–6. Thomas went on to score his first try for the Crusaders against Wakefield Trinity in a 20-10 away victory on April 11. A groin injury prematurely ended Thomas' first season in rugby league, but his recovery was hoped to be complete in time for the 2010 European Cup, for which Thomas was selected in the Welsh preliminary squad.

In a warm-up test before the European Cup, he made a try-scoring international rugby league debut in Wales 13-6 loss to Italy in October 2010. He scored again in his next international vs Scotland. In the final game of the tournament, Thomas was appointed captain, filling in for the injured Lee Briers. He scored a try in that game, helping Wales to a one-point win for both the European Cup Trophy and a spot in the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations.

On 9 July 2011, Thomas confirmed on Twitter that he had broken his left arm during the 38-10 defeat to Hull Kingston Rovers, and expected to be sidelined for two months. After missing the rest of the season and failing to reach 100% fitness before the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations tournament, on 25 October 2011 Thomas announced his immediate retirement.

Media career

Thomas was an analyst for ITV's coverage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

In January 2012, Thomas entered Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother as a housemate and took third place.

Notes

• ^a Hurler Donal Óg Cusack, who openly discussed his sexual orientation before any of the above, does not fulfill the criteria "current professional male athlete in a team sport who is openly gay".

External links

• Wales Rugby Union profile
• Cardiff Blues profile
• Official webpage

Sporting positions
Preceded by Brian O'Driscoll Tour Captain Martin Corry Active captain	British and Irish Lions Captain O'Driscoll Remained Tour Captain July 2005 as Active captain	Succeeded by Paul O'Connell
Awards
Preceded by Tanni Grey-Thompson	BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2005	Succeeded by Joe Calzaghe