Welcome fly-half - Tommy Hayes


reproduced from Moseley Matters

Last week the Club swooped to sign the experienced former Worcester and Bristol fly-half Tommy Hayes to strengthen our back division and assist with the development of our fly halves. The 32-year-old Cook Islands International went into the team to face Cornish Pirates on Saturday and played an instrumental part in reviving our back division. Who is he and where is he from?

Tommy Hayes - Fly Half

Born in Tokoroa, N Zealand in 1973 Tommy is better known to UK rugby supporters than he is own ‘back home’. He was Glasgow Rugby’s first ever player to reach one hundred appearances against Llanelli at Stradey Park in April 2002. Two weeks later he reached another major milestone when he became the first to reach one thousand points for Glasgow, kicking a conversion in the league game against Newport at Hughenden.
The next season in the newly formed Celtic league he racked up 105 points, bettering it the following season with 111 (well in excess of Stephen Jones & Ronan O’Gara). During this period even the Welsh Rugby Union heaped praise on him describing him as “Glasgow's Tommy Hayes - the equal of any goal-kicker in Europe.” in a match preview. (Source www.wru.co.uk)

Tommy had become a big favourite of the Glasgow fans in his time in Scotland firstly with Glasgow Hawks, Glasgow Caledonians and then Glasgow Warriors. However having played two games for the Cook Islands where his mother was born, he was never eligible to gain Scottish honours. He was one of Glasgow's most popular players before leaving to join Worcester after the 2002-2003 season.

After his period at Worcester (starting in 2003/04) he moved to Bristol and, in the words or Richard Hill from Bristol Rugby, “Tommy masterminded Worcester's rise out of Division One …….he prefers not to stick to a rigid game plan and enjoys freedom to play what he sees” Bristol added “As well possessing a real desire to move the ball, Tommy is an accomplished goal kicker and possesses a powerful left boot when kicking out of hand”

This article was originally posted on 10-Feb-2007, 23:30 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 10-Feb-2007, 23:36.