Background
Thomas was born in Llanelli and educated at Llanelli County School and at University College, Swansea.
Thomas was born in Llanelli and educated at Llanelli County School and at University College, Swansea.
While still at school he was the first captain of the newly formed Welsh Secondary Schools XV in 1924. He then joined Llanelli Reconstruction Finance Corporation, moving to Swansea in December 1927. Against Scotland in 1931 he played for 70 minutes with a broken collarbone and scored a try.
As captain he led Wales to victory over England at Twickenham in 1933, overcoming the "Twickenham bogey" that had haunted Wales.
However, after the match against Ireland the same year, Thomas fell out with the selectors, who had selected a prop as flanker and a flanker as prop for the match. Thomas ignored this and played them in their usual positions, and never played for Wales again.
In 1936 he moved to Birmingham to teach at King Edward VI School Aston, and died there in 1977. An extension to a building at the school, opened in May 2008, is named in his honour.
Hughes, Gareth (1983) One Hundred Years of Scarlet (Llanelli Rugby Football Club)
Smith, David.
Williams, Gareth (1980). Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.