The Tom Richards Cup   

The Wallabies and British and Irish Lions test series played for this magnificent Waterford Crystal creation, (and yes! the Wallabies have it!). The cup bears the marks of both the Wallabies and the Lions, and also the image of the only Australian-born rugby union player in history to have played for both the Wallabies and the British Isles. Charters Towers can boast that the great Tom 'Rusty' Richards began his illustrious career in this city after moving to the burgeoning gold city in the late 1800s with his family.

Richards travelled to Charters Towers from Vegetable Creek, NSW, where he was born in 1882 amongst the bark and galvanised iron humpies of the mining camp. He moved with his mother and four brothers to meet up with his father who had come to the city chasing gold.

While in Charters Towers, his brother Bill was chosen to represent Queensland against NSW and the younger Tom saw rugby as his chance to escape the difficult life of the goldfields. Running miles to build up his speed and strength, drawing diagrams to work out the best angles and getting a younger brother to build up his abdominal muscles by punching them non-stop, Richards developed into a magnificent loose forward. According to Growden, Richards even practised his defensive work by catching fowls, waiting patiently to grab them instead of rushing headlong in pursuit.

Tom played rugby for Charters Towers and Queensland, and when his father left Charters Towers in 1905 to go to Transvaal in South Africa in search of gold, both Tom and Bill went with him. Keen to continue his rugby, Tom played for The Mines in Johannesburg and in 1906 played two matches for Transvaal, in the Currie Cup, but was denied a chance to wear the Springbok jumper because he hadn't lived there long enough.

Richards returned to Australia and was picked for the original Wallaby touring team to Britain and North America in 1908-09. On that trip, he scored the first Wallaby try against Wales. During that tour, the London Times noted 'If ever the earth had to select a Rugby Football team to play against Mars, Tom Richards would be the first player selected.' In the 1908 Olympic final in which Australia won the gold medal, Tom scored another try for Australia. Richards along with Phil Carmichael were the first Queenslanders to receive a Gold Medal in the Olympic Games.

Tom returned to South Africa to work in the mines and was recruited to play for the touring British Isles team when they found themselves short of players due to injury. His previous stint in England club rugby enabled him to qualify. Richards played two Tests for the British Lions against the Springboks, including a famous victory at Port Elizabeth.

Returning home Richards played for the Manly club in Sydney. He was a member of the 1912 Wallaby Tour of the United States and Canada and was named vice-captain. Whilst overseas Tom Richards also played for Bristol in England, represented Gloucestershire; and won the club championship playing for Toulouse, in France.

Apart from being a terrific rugby player, Richards was also awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous bravery in World War 1. He volunteered for duty at the outbreak of the war, and was a member of the 1st Australian Division and one of the first off the boats at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. His job was to follow soldiers up the Gallipoli cliffs and bring back the wounded. Somehow he survived Gallipoli and made it to France where he helped lead a group that broke the Hindenberg Line at Bullecourt. His 'conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty' during the battle won him his Military Cross. Richards was unfortunately gassed and suffered poor health for the rest of his life. He died in Brisbane on September 25, 1935, aged only 46. Shortly before his death, he noted in his diary 'the gas I swallowed during the War is beating me down steadily'.

Tom Richards was inducted into The North Queensland Sporting Hall of Fame on July 16, 1996. The Charters Towers Rugby Union Club has possession of a plaque acknowledging that Richards' career started in the city.

'Tom Richards was a legend in his own time, Australia's first rugby troubadour. Born in a humpy on the mine fields, he was an unlikely candidate for world fame. He was truly one of the greats of Australian rugby.'

Another 'legend in his own time', James 'Duck' Doyle, Bulls Life Member, with the Tom 'Rusty' Richards plaque.

Acknowledgement to The Northern Miner for providing information for this page.

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