Tom May (rugby union)
Birth name | Tom Alexander May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 5 February 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | London, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 91 kg (14 st 5 lb)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Tonbridge School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University |
Newcastle University Northumbria University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Tom May (born 5 February 1979 in London, UK) is a former rugby union player. May enjoyed a nineteen-year career that incorporated spells at Newcastle Falcons, Toulon Rugby, Northampton Saints and London Welsh.[2] May also won two caps for England, both in 2009.[3]
May was a utility back, his versatility enabling him to fill a number of positions behind the scrum.
May writes a regular column for scrum.com, and has also appeared as an analyst on BT Sport. May is also involved in the grassroots rugby website everything4rugby.com.[4]
Biography
Born 5 February 1979 in London, UK, May joined the Newcastle Falcons from Richmond F.C. in 1998, making his competitive debut in March 1999 against the Northampton Saints.[5]
May scored two tries as Newcastle beat Harlequin F.C. in the final of the 2001 Tetley's Bitter Cup.[6] He also started in the 2004 final, as Newcastle defeated the Sale Sharks.[7]
May competed for the England Sevens team at the 2002 London Sevens.[8] He was selected by Clive Woodward for the Senior tour of Argentina in 2002[9] and played in the fixture against Argentina A.[10]
On 19 May 2009, he was named in the England squad to play the Barbarians and Argentina.[11]
May played in a defeat to the Barbarians.[12] He won his debut cap in a Test match against Argentina.[13] May won his second cap in the return fixture at Salta.[14]
On 21 April 2009, May announced he would be leaving the Falcons to join Toulon.[15]
On 7 February 2011 it was announced that May would be returning to England's elite division by signing a contract with Northampton Saints, against whom May made his professional debut, for the 2011/12 season.
Originally linked with a move to Leicester Tigers, May turned down the offer to join London Welsh on a one-year contract for the 2013/14 season.[16]
On 9 January 2015, May announced he would be retiring at the end of the season.[17]
References
- ↑ "Rugby club Toulonnaise Tom May". Rugby Club Toulonnaise. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ↑ http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/27741.html
- ↑ http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/27741.html
- ↑ http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/story/256909.html
- ↑ "Newcastle Falcons profile". Newcastle Falcons Official site. 16 June 2007. Archived from the original on 4 May 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "Newcastle snatch Cup glory". BBC. 24 February 2001. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "Newcastle 37–33 Sale". BBC. 17 April 2004. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "May wins Sevens call". BBC. 16 May 2002. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "Beim joins England tour party". BBC. 9 June 2002. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "England 'A' side for clash with Pumas". ESPN Scrum. 16 June 2002. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "Senior Squad announced". BBC. 19 May 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "England 26–33 Barbarians". BBC. 30 May 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "England 37–15 Argentina". BBC. 6 June 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "Argentina 24–22 England". BBC. 13 June 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "Tom May finalises French move". Journal Live. 22 April 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ↑ "May signs for London Welsh". The Daventry Express. 12 March 2013.
- ↑ "Tom May: London Welsh captain and ex-England centre to retire". BBC Sport. 9 January 2015.