1st XV Squad
Tom May
Tom May
DOB5th Feb 1979
BirthplaceLondon
Height1.78 m
Weight91 kg
PositionWing
Tom May

Biography

Winger May joined the Falcons academy from Richmond, where he had spent a year playing for their second team and Under-21s after finishing from Tonbridge School.

He took up the game after watching his dad Alan playing for the Old Alleynians club in London, and played centre for the same England Schools team as Jonny Wilkinson, before going on to earn Under-21s, Sevens and ‘A’ honours at international level.

Originally an inside centre, May made his competitive Falcons debut in March 1999 against Northampton, having previously featured in a friendly against Cardiff and two Cheltenham and Gloucester Cup ties.

At the age of only 19 he started for the Falcons in the Tetley’s Bitter Cup final at Twickenham as his side ultimately lost out to London Wasps.

In 2001 he was to enjoy better fortune as he scored two spectacular tries in the Tetley’s Bitter Cup final victory over NEC Harlequins, while he also started in the 2004 Powergen Cup final win over Sale Sharks.

The arrival of All Black centre Mark Mayerhofler in 2002 saw May reluctantly change positions to the wing, but he proved a major success in his new wide role, being among the Premiership’s top try scorers in the 2003/4 campaign.

The 2004/5 season saw the Londoner score seven tries as he started 30 of the club’s 31 competitive games that year, and came on from the bench in the other match.

He even added a goal kicking string to his bow through necessity that season, when a shortage of kickers saw him step up to the plate with great success, missing only one attempt at goal in three matches.

Off the field, May studied for a business management degree from Newcastle University, before going on to do a masters in sports management at Northumbria University, for which he studied part time alongside his rugby commitments.

He used those sports management credentials to good effect by masterminding the inaugural Newcastle Festival of Rugby in May 2006 alongside former team mate Martin Shaw, with the hugely successful event now firmly inked in to the north-east sporting calendar.

 

School/university: Tonbridge School, Newcastle AND Northumbria Universities!

Previous clubs: Sevenoaks, Richmond

Nicknames: The Mule, Dwarf, Scuba Steve, Gatesy

Favourite TV show: 24, motorbike programmes

Favourite film: The Bourne trilogy

Favourite music: U2, Hed Kandi

Favourite book: Richard Branson’s autobiography

Favourite food: Roast chicken, roast potatoes and veg

Most like to meet: Bono

Least like to meet: Gordon Brown, Jodi Marsh, Charlie from Big Brother

Best moment in rugby: Winning the Cup twice with the Falcons

Best moment outside of rugby: My wedding

Favourite place to visit: Anywhere I can lie in the sun

Team-mate least like to share a room with and why: Forwards, they’re smelly and snore

I love: Doing well playing golf, U2 concerts, Grindal’s wobbly eye

I hate: Old people driving

Current Season Stats

Date Opposition Tries Conv DG Pen YC RC Pts Mins
16/09/2007
Sale Sharks
1





5
80
23/09/2007
London Irish







65
29/09/2007
Harlequins
1





5
40
05/10/2007
Leeds Carnegie
1

1



8
80
14/10/2007
Bristol Rugby







71
21/10/2007
Bath Rugby
1





5
80
27/10/2007
Gloucester Rugby







80
03/11/2007
Dragons







80
10/11/2007
El Salvador

2




4
44
15/11/2007
Brive


1



3
80
25/11/2007
London Wasps







80
01/12/2007
London Wasps







80
07/12/2007
Connacht Rugby
1





5
80
16/12/2007
Connacht Rugby







61
23/12/2007
Gloucester Rugby







80
30/12/2007
Saracens







76
06/01/2008
Worcester Warriors







80
11/01/2008
Brive







80
26/01/2008
Leicester Tigers








17/02/2008
Saracens







80
23/02/2008
Gloucester Rugby
1
2
1
1


15
80
08/03/2008
Bath Rugby



2


6

16/03/2008
Bristol Rugby







80
21/03/2008
Leeds Carnegie








29/03/2008
Harlequins








05/04/2008
Castres Olympique








13/04/2008
London Irish








25/04/2008
Worcester Warriors


1



3

04/05/2008
Leicester Tigers
1





5

07/05/2008
London Wasps
1


1


8

Total Played 30 8
4
4
4
0
0
72
1557