{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = David Alexander Thom | image = | caption = | birth_name = David Alexander Thom | birth_place = Hawick, Scotland | birth_date = {{birth date|1910|02|14|df=y}} | death_place = Wandsworth, London, England | death_date = c.{{death date and age|df=y|1981|12|01|1910|02|14}} | height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}} | weight = {{convert|79|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}} | position = Flanker | amatyears1 = 1927 | amatyears2 = 1927-29 | amatyears3 = 1929- | amatteam1 = Hawick Y.M. | amatteam2 = Hawick | amatteam3 = London Scottish | ru_amclubcaps = | ru_amclubpoints = | ru_amupdate = | provinceyears1 = 1927 | provinceyears2 = 1929 | province1 = South of Scotland District | province2 = Anglo-Scots | provinceapps1 = | provincepoints1 = | repteam1 = Scotland | repyears1 = 1934-35 | repcaps1 = 5 | reppoints1 = 3 | ru_ntupdate = | coachteams1 = | coachyears1 = | ru_coachupdate = | module2 = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office = President of the Scottish Rugby Union | term_start = 1965 | term_end = 1966 | predecessor = Ross Logan | successor = Mark Stewart | prior_term = | order = 79th }} }} '''David Thom''' (14 February 1910 &ndash; December 1981) was a Scotland international rugby union player. He became the 79th President of the Scottish Rugby Union.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scotland/rugby/player/4167.html|title=David Alexander Thom|website=ESPN scrum}}</ref>

==Rugby Union career==

===Amateur career===

Thom was playing for the Hawick Y.M.C.A. side, Hawick Y.M.,<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000954/19270218/066/0003|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> before then playing for Hawick.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000954/19331222/040/0003|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>

He was still playing for Hawick right at the start of the 1929–30 season when he was a reserve for the Hawick side for the Kelso Sevens.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000954/19290913/041/0004|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>

His last game for Hawick was on 26 October 1929 where he contributed in a fine victory over Selkirk.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000954/19291101/027/0003|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>

Thom moved to London for work and then played for London Scottish.<ref>The Essential History of Rugby Union:Scotland. Nick Oswald and John Griffiths. Headline Publishing. 2003.</ref>

He was one of the famous London Scottish 'live wires'.<ref name="auto1"/>

In October 1933, a notable London Scottish win over Blackheath hit the headlines. More remarkable than the win was the versatility of Thom. The London Scottish scrum half George McLaren broke a bone in his wrist and couldn't continue. To the surprise of the crowd it was Thom who then filled in at scrum half. The ''Edinburgh Evening News'' reported:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19331024/288/0012|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> <blockquote> Thom tackled the job like an expert. Not only did he sling the ball out in the approved manner but he surprised his international vis-a-vis E. B. Pope by 'dummying' his way through on more than one occasion. </blockquote> He was one of the London Scottish sevens side that reached the final of the 1937 Melrose Sevens, only to be beaten by Gala by a last minute score.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002784/19370415/055/0006|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>

===Provincial career===

He was picked for the South of Scotland District against Edinburgh District for their junior match on 26 February 1927.<ref name="auto"/>

He was picked for the Anglo-Scots side to play the combined North and South district on 21 December 1929.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000954/19291213/025/0002|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000577/19291209/135/0010|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>

Thom played the match. The Anglo-Scots were beaten 14–13.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000577/19291223/161/0010|title=|via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>

===International career===

He was capped 5 times for Scotland in the period 1934–35.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/player/4167.html|title=Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - David Thom - Test matches|website=ESPN scrum}}</ref>

===Administrative career===

He became the 79th President of the Scottish Rugby Union. He served the standard one year from 1965 to 1966.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sru-files/files/SR_RR1819_digital.pdf |title=Scottish Rugby Record 2018/19 |date= |website=Scottish Rugby |access-date=7 April 2020 |archive-date=16 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116210013/https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sru-files/files/SR_RR1819_digital.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Outside of rugby union==

He worked in London for Peter Scott & Co. Ltd, a hosiery manufacturer.<ref name="auto1"/>

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thom, David}} Category:1910 births Category:1981 deaths Category:Scottish rugby union players Category:Scotland international rugby union players Category:Presidents of the Scottish Rugby Union Category:London Scottish F.C. players Category:Hawick RFC players Category:Hawick Y.M. players Category:Rugby union players from Hawick Category:South of Scotland District (rugby union) players Category:Scottish Exiles (rugby union) players Category:Rugby union flankers

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