View source for Robin Thompson

{{short description|GB & Ireland rugby union & league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| first           = RU
| name            = Robin Thompson
| fullname        = Robin Henderson Thompson
| image           = 
| image_size      = 
| caption         = 
| birth_date      = {{birth date|df=y|1931|5|5}}
| birth_place     = Northern Ireland
| death_date      = {{death date and age|df=y|2003|8|14|1931|5|5}}
| death_place     = 
| height          = 
| weight          = 
| position        = {{rlp|SR}}
| ru_club1        = {{nowrap|[[Ulster Rugby|Ulster]]}}
| ru_year1start   = 
| ru_year1end     = 
| ru_appearances1 = 0
| ru_tries1       = 0
| ru_goals1       = 0
| ru_fieldgoals1  = 0
| ru_points1      = 0
| ru_club2        = {{nowrap|[[London Irish]]}}
| ru_year2start   = 
| ru_year2end     = 
| ru_appearances2 = 0
| ru_tries2       = 0
| ru_goals2       = 0
| ru_fieldgoals2  = 0
| ru_points2      = 0
| ru_teamA        = {{nowrap|[[Ireland national rugby union team|Ireland]]}}
| ru_yearAstart   = 1951
| ru_yearAend     = 55
| ru_appearancesA = 11
| ru_triesA       = 0
| ru_goalsA       = 0
| ru_fieldgoalsA  = 0
| ru_pointsA      = 0
| ru_teamB        = {{nowrap|[[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]]}}
| ru_yearBstart   = 
| ru_yearBend     = 
| ru_appearancesB = 0
| ru_triesB       = 0
| ru_goalsB       = 0
| ru_fieldgoalsB  = 0
| ru_pointsB      = 0
| ru_teamC        = {{nowrap|[[British & Irish Lions]]}}
| ru_yearCstart   = 1955
| ru_yearCend     = 
| ru_appearancesC = 3
| ru_triesC       = 0
| ru_goalsC       = 0
| ru_fieldgoalsC  = 0
| ru_pointsC      = 0
| club1           = {{nowrap|[[Warrington Wolves|Warrington]]}}
| year1start      = 1955
| year1end        = 56
| appearances1    = 50
| tries1          = 10
| goals1          = 0
| fieldgoals1     = 0
| points1         = 30
| updated         = 26 Jul 2021
| source          = 
| new             = yes
}}

'''Robin Henderson Thompson''' (5 May 1931 – 14 August 2003) was a [[rugby union]] international for Ireland, a former [[British & Irish Lions|British Lions]] captain and [[rugby league]] player.

Robin Thompson won two [[Ulster Schools Cup|Ulster Schools Senior Cup]] medals with RBAI ([[Royal Belfast Academical Institution]]) and played for Ulster Schools. He made the [[Queen's University RFC]] senior side in his first year in the university and while still only 18, he made his [[Ulster Rugby|Ulster]] début.

He won his first international cap in the [[Rugby union positions#Locks|second row]] as a 20-year-old against France in [[Paris]] in December 1951. He was also on the team that defeated France in Paris in January 1952. He played throughout the championship and against New Zealand in 1953-54 and the following season captained Ireland against both France and Wales. He was capped 11 times. He won the [[Ulster Senior League (rugby union)|Ulster Senior League]] with Queen's University, the [[Ulster Senior Cup]] with [[Instonians]], and also played for [[London Irish]], and the [[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]].

He was made captain of the [[1955 British Lions tour to South Africa]]. He played in three of the four tests on that tour.

Following the tour he turned professional and played [[rugby league]] for [[Warrington Wolves|Warrington]]. But an injury and subsequent medical advice brought an end to his playing career while still only 25. After returning to Ireland, he subsequently became a media analyst.

==External links==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/3150933.stm Lions skipper Thompson dies]

{{British and Irish Lions 1955}}
{{Ireland national rugby union team captains}}
{{British and Irish Lions team captains}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Robin}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century sportsmen from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Alumni of Queen's University Belfast]]
[[Category:Barbarian F.C. players]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland]]
[[Category:Expatriate rugby league players in England]]
[[Category:Footballers who switched code]]
[[Category:Instonians rugby union players]]
[[Category:Ireland international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Ireland national rugby union team captains]]
[[Category:Irish expatriate rugby league players]]
[[Category:Irish expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:Irish rugby league players]]
[[Category:Irish rugby union players]]
[[Category:London Irish players]]
[[Category:Middlesex County RFU players]]
[[Category:Queen's University RFC players]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from County Down]]
[[Category:Rugby union locks]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from County Down]]
[[Category:Ulster Rugby players]]
[[Category:Warrington Wolves players]]