Thomas Willam Rory Pearson (wing) once kicked 17 out of 18 conversions for Mill Hill vs Bedford School. He first played for Cardiff and won 9 of his 13 caps 1891-1903 scoring 4 tries and was captain for last match, scored a try but was injured and left the field for JJ Hodges (Newport) to come out of pack and score a hatrick. Tom scored 40 tries in 1892/3 for Cardiff and was elected captain in 1895/6. He has also played for the Barbarians. In Oct 1895 he was appointed Resident Engineer at Alexandra Docks, Newport and was granted a transfer to Newport where he made 109 apps / 67t / 1dg / 1c / 1 field goal : 1895/6-1903/4. Won 20 Welsh Hockey caps, Welsh Lawn Tennis Doubles and capt of Newport Golf Club. He represented Wales at rugby, golf squash and tennis. Lieut Colonel in Royal Field Artillery in WW1. Died 12 Sept 1957 at Newport. Newport RFC record : 1895/6-1903/4 : 109 apps / 67t / 1dg / 1c / 1 field goal.
Pearson, Thomas William DSO TD DL played for Wales Internationals: 13 : 1891 E- (1t) I+ ; 1892 E- S- ; 1893 S+ I- ; 1895 E- S- I+ (1t) ; 1897 E+ (1t) ; 1898 I+ E- ; 1903 E+ (1t) Thomas Pearson was born on 10 May 1872, in Bombay, India. Played as a Wing for: Mill Hill School, Cardiff, Blackheath Profession: Docks engineer War service: Lieutenant Colonel, [Probably] 4th Welsh (Newport) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. He commanded 266 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, and was awarded the DSO. From 1936 to 1948 he was honorary Colonel to 83 (Welsh) Brigade, Royal Artillery. Remarks: While at school he converted 17 of 18 tries in a match v Bedford Grammar in 1892-1893. He scored 40 tries for Cardiff in 1892-1893, the club record until Bleddyn Williams’ 41 tries in 1948. 20 Wales hockey caps. Welsh lawn tennis doubles champion. He died on 12 September 1957, in Newport.
It's interesting (to some) that Pearson kicked a field goal for Newport RFC, a method of scoring that disappeared from Rugby in 1905. It was rather like a lofted soccer goal, ie the ball was loose on the ground until kicked over the crossbar. The 'field goal' terminology lives on, primarily in Rugby League and among Rugby commentators who presumably haven't read the Laws of the Game. Gareth
Pearson was born in Bombay, but moved to England at the age of five. By 1889 he had moved to Wales and was living in the capital, joining Cardiff Rugby Club. Pearson gained his first cap for Wales while playing with Cardiff in 1891. His debut was against England on 3 January at Rodney Parade and Wales lost 7-3, though Pearson managed to score a try for Wales. Pearson was dropped after the 1892 Championship and didn't regain his Wales place until the end of 1894 tournament, an unusual situation as during 1892/93 season, he scored a record 40 tries for Cardiff, a club record ..... Pearson played fairly frequently for Wales through to 1898, but in 1903, with his international career supposedly far behind him, he was recalled to captain Wales against England. Pearson had already scored a try when he was forced to leave the field after a particularly heavy tackle from Harry Gamlin. His replacement, Jehoida Hodges scored a hat-trick of tries. Pearson played a total of 13 matches for his country.
