Tom Berry (rugby union)

Last updated • 2 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Tom Berry
Birth nameJoseph Thomas Wade Berry
Date of birth17 July 1911
Place of birth Slawston, Leicestershire, England
Date of death1 July 1993(1993-07-01) (aged 81)
Place of death Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England
School Eastbourne College
Occupation(s)Farmer
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
193248 Leicester Tigers 277 (45)
National team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1939 England 3 (0)

Joseph Thomas Wade Berry (17 July 1911 1 July 1993) [1] was a rugby union player and administrator who appeared in 277 games for Leicester Tigers between 19321948, and three times for England in 1939. He was President of the Rugby Football Union for the 196869 season, [2] the first person from Leicester Tigers to hold the position and was also tour manager of England's first over-seas tour in 1963. [3]

Contents

Playing career

Berry made his Leicester Tigers debut on 5 March 1932 against Harlequins at Welford Road, Berry played No. 8 and scored a try as Tigers won 1311. [4] He was a regular in the team from then until the Second World War, a utility forward he featured in all five positions in back of the forward pack playing at least 24 games in each season. [5]

Berry succeeded Bobby Barr as Leicester captain for the 193839 season. Berry made his England debut in the 1939 Home Nations Championship on 21 January 1939 against Wales at Twickenham. [6] He retained his place for the whole championship as England shared the title with Wales and Ireland.

After serving in a reserved capacity during the war Berry returned to captain a much changed club. Berry lead the side in their first post-war fixture against Cardiff with the side featuring 10 debutantes. [7] Tigers lost 12 of their first 17 fixtures but as the new side settled results improved for a seasonal record of 16 wins, 2 draws and 16 defeats. [8]

His final game was against Blackheath at Welford Road on 17 April 1948. [3]

Administration career

Berry represented Leicestershire Rugby Union on the RFU committee from 195368 and was an England selector from 19511966. As Chairman of Selectors, he was tour manager on England's first overseas tour to Australia and New Zealand in 1963. In 1968 he became Leicester's first President of the RFU. [3]

Sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicester Tigers</span> English rugby union club, based in Leicester

Leicester Tigers are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Johnson (rugby union)</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player & coach

Martin Osborne Johnson CBE is an English retired rugby union player who represented and captained England and Leicester in a career spanning 16 seasons. He captained England to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup, and is regarded as one of the greatest locks ever to have played, and one of England's greatest ever players.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welford Road Stadium</span> Rugby Union stadium

Welford Road is a rugby union stadium in Leicester, England, and is the home ground of Leicester Tigers. The ground was opened on 10 September 1892, and is located between Aylestone Road and Welford Road on the southern edge of the city centre. The ground was developed in two main periods: either side of the First World War stands were built on both sides, and then between 1995 and 2016 both ends were developed and the north side redeveloped. The stadium has a capacity of 25,849, making it the largest purpose-built club rugby union ground in England. It hosted five full England national team matches between 1902 and 1923, and staged a single match at both the 1991 and 1999 Rugby World Cups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Prentice</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player

Frank Douglas Prentice was an English rugby union player and administrator who played 239 games for Leicester Tigers between 1923 and 1931, was captain of the 1930 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia and served as Secretary of the Rugby Football Union between 1947 and 1962.

Harry Ronald Wells is an English rugby union player for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby, the top division of rugby union. His primary positions are lock and flanker. He has also played for Nottingham and Bedford Blues in the RFU Championship, England's second division. He has won one cap for the England national team. He was a Premiership Rugby champion in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alf Kewney</span> England international rugby union player

Alfred Lionel Kewney was a rugby union forward who played 16 times for England between 1906 and 1913. He played his club rugby for Leicester Tigers and Rockcliff RFC in Whitley Bay.

Thomas Bradley Hogarth known as Tom Hogarth was a rugby union forward who played for Leicester Tigers, Hartlepool Rovers, West Hartlepool, Durham City and once for England.

George William Wood known as Pedlar Wood was a rugby union scrum half who played 388 games for Leicester Tigers between 1906 and 1922, the 8th most of any player, and once for England in 1914.

Frederick Mark Taylor known as Tim Taylor was a rugby union fly half who played 294 games for Leicester Tigers between 1907–1923 and once for England in 1914.

Matthew David Poole is a former rugby union lock who played 223 games for Leicester Tigers from 1988 to 1998, he also toured twice with England but did not play in a test match.

Douglas James Norman was a rugby union player who appeared in 453 games for Leicester Tigers between 1920–1933, and twice for England in 1932. He started his career playing as a flanker, but switched to the front row midway through his career and from then on played predominantly at hooker.

History of Leicester Tigers details the history of the rugby union club based in Leicester, England. Nicknamed the Tigers from 1885, Leicester have been a prominent club from the earliest days of organised English rugby dominating midlands rugby before the First World War; providing British Lions captains in 1930, 1936, 1997 and 2001; and winning 20 major titles since 1979 including a record 10 Premiership Rugby titles.

John Garin Liley is an English former rugby union player. A full back who played 230 games for Leicester Tigers from 1988 to 1997 scoring 2,518 points, the second most of all time, he also toured with England but did not play in a test match.

Henry Dickson Greenlees known as Harry Greenlees was a rugby union fly-half who played 153 games for Leicester Tigers and 6 games for Scotland between 1926 and 1932.

Edward John Massey was a rugby union scrum half who played 3 times for England in the 1925 Five Nations Championship. He played his club rugby for Leicester Tigers and Liverpool.

Charles Frederick Slow was a rugby union player who appeared in 98 games for Leicester Tigers between 1933–1937, and once for England in 1934. He also played for Northampton Saints.

Robert John Barr was a rugby union player who appeared in 241 games for Leicester Tigers between 1928–1939, and three times for England in 1932. He was also one of only two people to have been captain, secretary and president of Leicester Tigers.

David St George Hazell was a rugby union player who appeared for Leicester Tigers between 1953–1956, for Bristol Rugby between 1956–64, and four times for England in 1955.

Robert James Liley is an English former rugby union player. A fly half he played professionally for Sale, Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, Wakefield and Doncaster. He was the starting fly half for Leicester in the 1997 Heineken Cup Final.

Morgan Patrick Crowe was a rugby union centre who played thirteen times for Ireland between 1929–34. He played his club rugby for Leicester Tigers and Lansdowne.

References

  1. "Tom Berry". ESPNscrum. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  2. "Presidents of the RFU". rugbyfootballhistory.com. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Farmer & Hands, p. 348.
  4. Farmer & Hands, p. 103.
  5. Farmer & Hands, p. 111-115.
  6. "England 3 - 0 Wales (FT)". ESPNscrum. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  7. Farmer & Hands, p. 117.
  8. Farmer & Hands, p. 123.