Prolific place kicking full-back.
Played for Newport RFC 1887-88 to 1894-95. May have made his debut against Cardiff Harlequins on 10th March 1888.
A player desperately unlucky to not have an international career. Chosen for the home game against Scotland in February 1890, he had to stand down at the last moment because of injury. His place was taken by the legendary W. J. "Billy" Bancroft of Swansea, who was thereafter selected for every game through to 1901, never missing a game through injury.
See "Games" Devon v Newport 14th January 1890.
The 1946-47 season match programmes included a series of guest articles in a series entitled 'A Peep in my Diary'. The following entry was submitted by Tom England for the match programme of the Newport v Swansea game on 21st December 1946:-
o - o - o - o - O - O - O - o - o - o - o
"A PEEP IN MY DIARY."
"No. 10. - TOM ENGLAND (Newport Full-back, 1887-1895)."
"My mind has to travel a long road back - over 50 year's - to recall the greatest match in my memory, which was the occasion of the Wales v. Scotland International played in Scotland in the 1892-3 season. It was the year after T. C. Graham's invincible season of 1891-2, and a period of real greatness in Newport Rugby, so much so that there were actually nine Newport players in the Welsh side that day. Let me recall their names: Arthur Gould and Bert Gould in the three-quarters, Percy Phillips and Fred Parfitt at half-back, and T, C. Graham, Jim Harmon, Harry Day, Wallace Watts and A. W. Boucher in the pack. I travelled as a reserve, and indeed it was exactly like being away with a Newport side - not the Welsh team. It was a truly wonderful game - the finest display of Rugby I ever witnessed - and I remember a Welsh victory by a handsome margin, which, although the actual details of the scoring elude me, I do know that Arthur Gould scored the first try and Bert Gould the second. After that great victory Wales went on to win the Triple Crown - their first success in the International tournament."
"Another memorable occasion was the Blackheath game at Newport in that 1891-2 invincible season which Newport won by 4 goals and 3 tries to nil. A. E. Stoddart, the great three-quarter and English cricketer, was then captain of Blackbeath - a giant of a man and both a grand player and sportsman. The display of Rugby that day so thoroughly roused the Newport crowd that after the game a large section refused to leave the grandstand until T. C. Graham and Stoddart had said a few words on the game. The enthusiasm was tremendous, and to this day, amidst it all, I can see the great Stoddard on that occasion and recall his actual words when, after saying that Newport was the greatest club team he ever played against, he added: "Take one player out of this Newport team and it is like taking: a cog-wheel out of a piece of machinery". "
"Great days, happy memories, which live with one for all time."