Tomas Francis
Date of birth | 27 April 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | York, England, UK | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 120 kg (18 st 13 lb; 260 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Sedbergh School & Ampleforth College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | University of Leeds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tomas Francis (born 27 April 1992 in York) is an English born - Wales international rugby union player. He plays at Tight Head prop for Exeter Chiefs and he was educated at both Sedbergh School & Ampleforth College.
Club career
Francis signed his first professional contract with Doncaster Knights in February 2012 at the age of 19, he was playing for amateur club Malton and Norton RUFC when he signed for the Knights, where he had been playing from the age of 4.[1] Francis signed with London Scottish in 2013 after Doncaster were relegated to National League 1, he made 23 appearances in one season for Scottish before being signed by Aviva Premiership side Exeter Chiefs for the 2014–15 season.[2]
International career
On 20 January 2015, Wales head coach Warren Gatland said during a press conference that he had a long debate about whether to include Francis in the 34-man squad for the 2015 Six Nations Championship but had decided against it due to current back injuries Francis was carrying.[3]
On 9 March 2015, Francis was called up to train with Wales.[4]
On 16 March 2015, Francis was added to the Wales squad prior to the final Six Nations game against Italy.[5]
On 2 June 2015, Francis was selected in Wales 47-man World Cup training squad.
On 29 August 2015, Francis made his Wales debut in a 16–10 World Cup warm-up victory over Ireland.[6]
Personal life
Francis has a degree in mechanical engineering which he earned at the University of Leeds. He signed his first professional contract at Doncaster Knights while completing his studies.[7]
Francis qualifies for Wales through his grandmother, Eirlys Walters, who was born in Abercrave.[8] Coincidentally, Adam Jones, who retired in 2015 having earned most of his 95 Welsh caps in the same position as Francis, is also from Abercraf.
External links
- Exeter Chiefs Profile
- Premiership Rugby Profile
- London Scottish Profile
- European Professional Club Rugby Profile
References
- ^ "Malton and Norton's Tom Francis majors on upwardly mobile lift". York Press. 30 March 2012.
- ^ "Exeter Chiefs sign London Scottish prop Tomas Francis". BBC Sport. 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Six Nations 2015: Who is Tomas Francis, the Exeter prop who came close to selection with Wales?". Wales Online. 20 January 2015.
- ^ "Six Nations 2015: Wales call in Scarlets hooker Ken Owens". BBC Sport. 9 March 2015.
- ^ "Tomas Francis called up to Wales' Six Nations Squad". Exeter Express And Echo. 16 March 2015.
- ^ "Rugby World Cup warm-up: Ireland 10-16 Wales". BBC Sport. 29 August 2015.
- ^ "Malton and Norton's Tom Francis majors on upwardly mobile lift". York Press. 30 March 2012.
- ^ "Cardiff Blues target Exeter Chiefs prop Tomas Francis but Joaquin Tuculet and Lucas Amorosino set to leave". Wales Online. 24 March 2015.