Tom's Story
1882-1935
Tom 'Rusty' Richards, from Queensland, was a brilliant back-rower with the First Wallabies. He scored a spectacular try in the Olympic match. A rugby journeyman, he played top grade football in South Africa, the British Isles, France and Australia. The trophy for competition between Australia and the British and Irish Lions is called the Tom Richards Cup because of his playing Test matches for both sides.
In WWI, he received the Military Cross for bravery on the Western Front. He was at the original Gallipoli landing. Interestingly, his winner’s certificate from London 1908, signed by the President of the British Olympic Council, states that he was a member of the Charters Towers FC, and not Australia.
Team: P Carmichael, C Russell, J Hickey, FB Smith, D Carroll, C McKivat, A McCabe, T Richards, M McArthur, R Craig, S Middleton, P McCue, C McMurtrie, T Griffin, J Barnett
