The Tom Richards Cup, which has been contested between the Wallabies and the British and Irish Lions since 2001, has been retired and will be replaced next month by a perpetual trophy created by the Lions on their 2021 tour of South Africa.
But Richards, the Gallipoli hero and Olympic gold medallist who is the only Australian-born person to play for both the Wallabies and the Lions, will still be commemorated in next month’s three-Test series, with a new Tom Richards Medal to be awarded to the player of the series.
The change has the potential to be controversial given the Richards’ extraordinary life, and the fact the Wallabies and Lions have already played for the Tom Richards Cup twice, in 2001 and 2013.
But the family of Richards have given their blessing, and three generations of Richards’ descendants last week posed with Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh at the SCG with Richards’ war medal, Test caps and Olympic medal as a gesture of support.
“It’s really nice and we’re really thrilled that they’re able to keep his name alive by doing it this way,” Paul Menck, who is Richards’ great-grandson, said.
The Wallabies posing with the Tom Richards Cup after being the Lions ion the 2001 series in Sydney.Credit: Simon Alekna
Tom “Rusty” Richards was born as a son of poor gold miners in Charters Towers, in rural Queensland, and debuted for the Wallabies on a 1908 tour of the UK. That trip also saw Australia win an Olympic gold medal, with Richards scoring a try in the victory over a Cornwall side.
The Times wrote that if a world team had to be selected to play against Mars, Richards “would be the first player chosen”.
Richards subsequently went to work in South Africa, and when the British Lions toured there in 1910 and suffered multiple injuries, the flanker was drafted in to become a Lion – being eligible via a previous stint of playing for Bristol.
Tom Richards, who played for both Australia and the British Lions in rugby, fought bravely at Gallipoli and the Western Front.
He became the second person to play Tests for both the Wallabies and the Lions, after Blair Swannell had done it in the reverse order.
Swannell and Richards both enlisted as Anzacs in World War One and were among the first to land at the shores of Gallipoli. Swannell was killed, but Richards later served on the Western Front in France and was wounded twice in battle – for which he was awarded the Military Cross. He returned home, had a family and became as a journalist, but died in 1935 of tuberculosis, which was related to gas exposure in the war.
The story of Richards’ incredible life was revived by legendary Herald chief rugby writer Greg Growden in a 2001 biography, Gold, Mud and Guts, and former ARU boss John O’Neill instigated the creation of the crystal Tom Richards Cup for the Lions tour in that same year.
The Wallabies won that series and the Lions claimed it in 2013. But the Lions, who had been contesting a range of trophies against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, announced in 2021 that they would now play for a perpetual trophy for all future series.
Alex Corbisiero, Owen Farrell and current Wallabies assistant coach Geoff Parling with the Tom Richards Cup in 2013.Credit: Getty Images
“That pre-dates my time (as CEO) but clearly at the time of those decisions, COVID was well and truly present and obviously the South African series was held,” Waugh said.
“Obviously we respect those series as much as we do our own, but it was one of those things where we felt, for us, it’s really important to continue to recognise Tom Richards and the remarkable human he was, and all his achievements.
“We think we’ve come to a sensible solution in acknowledging Tom Richards, and his history and legacy, with the player of the series medal. It’s a fitting name to be applied to such an enormous medal for the series.”
RA chief executive Phil Waugh, Jim Menck, Ned Fryar and Paul Menck pose with Tom Richards’ photo, Olympic gold medal, Military Cross and his Wallabies and Lions Test caps.Credit: Rugby Australia
Paul Menck, who was at the SCG with his father Jim and nephew Ned Fryar, is the grandson of Joan Menck, who was Tom Richards’ daughter. Joan passed away earlier this year, aged 99.
“She almost made it – she was hoping to be wheeled out in the wheelchair at the game, she was still pretty sharp,” Paul said.
“She was the only person alive, I believe, who actually knew Tom. She was always proud and thrilled that the teams would honour her father.
“The late Greg Growden wrote two books on him, and that’s sort of how it all came about, with Greg sort of bringing the story to light.”
Tom Richards’ photo, Olympic gold medal, Military Cross and his Wallabies and Lions Test caps. The cap was loaned by the Rugby Club.Credit: Rugby Australia
Asked if the family had an issue with the Lions and RA ditching the Tom Richards Cup after 24 years, Paul said: “We’re totally fine with it.
“I’m sure they (RA) would have wanted to keep the Tom Richards name alive, with the British Lions basically coming to them and saying, ‘Hey guys, we don’t want to play for a particular trophy against the Wallabies every twelve years’. They want to play for a perpetual trophy now, right? So that’s fine.
“But for them to be able to then morph the Tom Richards Cup into the medal for the player of the series, I think is a magic idea. It could easily have disappeared altogether.
“It’s appropriate too, right? Because Tom played for both sides, and he genuinely was the star in almost every team he played.”
The Lions and RA announced earlier in the year that Swannell will also be honoured, with the best and fairest medal for the Australia-New Zealand vs Lions fixture to be named after the Englishman.
All nine matches of The British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia are live & on demand on Stan Sport, with Wallabies Tests in 4K. All Test matches live and free on Channel 9 & 9Now.
