Tom Richards Cup
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 2001[1] |
| Number of teams | 2 |
| Country | .svg.png){kind=small} Australia British and Irish Lions |
| Holders | British and Irish Lions (2013[1]) |
| Most titles | Australia British and Irish Lions (1 title) |
The Tom Richards Cup, also known as the Tom Richards Trophy, was an international rugby union trophy awarded to the winner of British & Irish Lions–Australia test series. It was commissioned for the 2001 British & Irish Lions tour series and the inaugural winner was Australia, who won the series 2–1.[1] This was the first time that Australia had managed to defeat the Lions in a series. Twelve years later, the Lions won the 2013 tour to Australia 2–1,[2] making them the last holders of the trophy. The two teams' first meeting was in Australia in 1899 where they played a four-test series, won by the Lions 3–1.[3]
Tom Richards is the only Australian-born player to have represented both the Wallabies and Lions.[1] However, Blair Swannell, born in England, also represented the Lions (1899 & 1904) and Australia (1905). Richards took part in the Gallipoli campaign and for his efforts in France was awarded the Military Cross. In 1908 Richards played in the first Wallaby team to tour Britain and won the gold medal at the 1908 Olympic Games. In 1910 he represented the Lions as a replacement on their tour to South Africa while living in the country. In 1912 he was selected for the Wallaby tour to the United States and Canada.
Ahead of the British & Irish Lions' tour of Australia in 2025, it was reported by The Sydney Morning Herald that the Tom Richards Cup was retired.[4] A new trophy established for the Lions' test series against South Africa, the Lions Series Trophy, would be its replacement, and would be contested between the Lions and all their traditional touring opponents (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa).[5]
Results
| Date and time | Venue | Home | Score | Away | Trophy winner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | ||||||
| 6 July | 20:00 AEST (UTC+10) | Stadium Australia, Sydney | Australia
|
16–41 | British and Irish Lions
|
|
| 29 June | 20:05 AEST (UTC+10) | Docklands Stadium, Melbourne | 16–15 | |||
| 7 June | 20:05 AEST (UTC+10) | Lang Park, Brisbane | 21–23 | |||
| 2001 | ||||||
| 14 July | 19:00 AEST (UTC+10) | Stadium Australia, Sydney | Australia
|
29–23 | British and Irish Lions
|
|
| 7 July | 19:00 AEST (UTC+10) | Docklands Stadium, Melbourne | 35–14 | |||
| 30 June | 19:00 AEST (UTC+10) | Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane | 13–29 | |||
Tom Richards Medal
Although the Tom Richards Cup would no longer be up for grabs for future Lions tours of Australia, a new medal in his honour was announced for the "Player of the Series" for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour of Australia.[4] Lions forward Tadhg Beirne was the first recipient of the medal, named Player of the Series following the Lions' 2–1 series win over Australia.[6][7]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Tom Richards Trophy". rugby.com.au. Australian Rugby Union (ARU). Archived from the original on 6 June 2011.
- ^ "Historic Results". lionsrugby.com. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021.
- ^ "The English Footballers: First Test Match Against Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales. 26 June 1899. p. 8. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
- ^ a b Payten, Iain (24 June 2025). "Wallaby war hero's name to live on after Lions make trophy change". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 24 June 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
- ^ "Lions and Springboks to play for new Tour trophy created by Thomas Lyte". lionsrugby.com. British & Irish Lions. 4 May 2021. Archived from the original on 25 March 2025.
- ^ Mohan, David (2 August 2025). "'Bittersweet' feeling for player of series Beirne". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
- ^ Chapman Coombe, Louis (3 August 2025). "Tadhg Beirne's honest British and Irish Lions admission after Player of the Series gong". Planet Rugby. Retrieved 3 August 2025.