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Tom Voyce

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This article is about the rugby player born in 1981. For the rugby player born in 1897, see Tom Voyce (rugby union, born 1897).

Tom Voyce
Born
Thomas Michael Dunstan Voyce

(1981-01-05)5 January 1981
Truro, Cornwall, England
Died7 December 2024(2024-12-07) (aged 43)
Alnwick, Northumberland, England
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight95 kg (14 st 13 lb)[1]
Notable relative(s)Anthony Thomas Voyce, great uncle
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback, Wing
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2000–2003
2003–2009
2009–2012
2012–2013		 Bath
London Wasps
Gloucester
London Welsh		 55
124
38
8		 (75)
(215)
(40)
(0)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2001–2006 England 9 (15)

Thomas Michael Dunstan Voyce (5 January 1981 – 7 December 2024) was an English rugby union player who played at wing or fullback. He was capped by England.

Background

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Tom Voyce was born on 5 January 1981 in Truro, Cornwall.[2]

Voyce's great-uncle, Anthony Thomas Voyce, won 27 caps for England, while playing for Gloucester Rugby, during the 1920s[3] and was a member of the first double Grand Slam winning team. He went on to become President of the RFU in 1960–61.[4]

Voyce was educated at Penair School, Truro and then studied at King's College, Taunton.[2][5]

Outside the rugby field, Voyce was an Ambassador of the Wooden Spoon Society.[6]

Voyce married Anna Wood in September 2015.[citation needed]

Career

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Voyce first showed promise playing mini rugby at Penryn RFC in his native Cornwall, before going on to play for Truro RFC U15s and U16s.[2]

Bath 1997–2003

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Having left Cornwall at 16, Voyce eventually joined Bath where he worked his way through the club's lower sides and into the Zurich Premiership line up. At the same time he established himself in the England Under 21 side.[7] He was selected for England's 2001 tour to North America,[8] where he won his first cap against the USA.[9]

Wasps 2003–2009

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In 2003 Voyce moved to London, to join Wasps for the 2003–04 season[10] and quickly established himself as a first team regular. He played in 34 of his club's 35 matches that season, scoring 15 tries in the process.[11] At the end of the season Wasps won the Premiership final against his former club Bath.[12] He also helped Wasps win the Heineken Cup that season.[13] In November 2004 he scored the quickest try in Premiership history when he gathered a loose ball from kick off and crossed by the posts in 9.63 seconds against Harlequins,[14] beating Martin Corry's record by 14 seconds. Voyce was in the starting line up for the 2004 England summer tour matches against New Zealand in Auckland[15] and Australia in Brisbane.[16] He helped Wasps win their third consecutive Premiership title in 2005, this time scoring a try in the final against Leicester.[17]

In 2005 he marked his first Twickenham Test appearance with two tries against Samoa.[18]

Voyce was selected for every match of the 2006 Six Nations Championship.[19] Initially selected for the bench in England's opener against Wales, Voyce quickly found himself on the pitch replacing injured Josh Lewsey, also scoring a try in the process.[20] This injury meant that Voyce secured the number 15 jersey for the next game against Italy.[21] However, Lewsey was soon fit again in time for the third game, which meant that Voyce was once again relegated to the bench. After losing two games in a row, changes were made to the England squad meaning England regular Lewsey was dropped, opening up the fullback position for Voyce to start against Ireland.[22] Later that year, he played his last international to date against Australia, in Sydney.[23] His performance in such game was – according to himself – quite poor, and this might have jeopardised his international career.[24]

Voyce won his second Heineken Cup with Wasps in 2007.[25] However injury ruled him out of Wasps' victory in the 2007–08 Premiership final.[26]

Gloucester 2009–2012

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In March 2009, it was announced that Voyce would join Gloucester Rugby from the 2009–10 season.[27][28][29]

In April 2012, his departure from Gloucester was announced.[30]

London Welsh 2012–2013

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In October 2012, Voyce joined London Welsh.[31]

On 16 May 2013, it was announced Voyce would retire from all forms of rugby with immediate effect.[32] After retirement, Voyce worked at Investec Bank Plc.[33]

Disappearance and death

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On the morning of 8 December 2024, Voyce was reported missing in Northumberland amidst flooding caused by Storm Darragh. He did not return home from a social event the previous evening, and his car was later found.[34][35] Police said they thought he had tried unsuccessfully to ford the River Aln, and was swept away while attempting to escape from his vehicle.[36]

On 12 December 2024, a body was found in the search for Voyce near Abberwick Mill, near Bolton, Northumberland,[33] which was later confirmed to be Voyce.[37]

References

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  1. ^ "Aviva Premiership Rugby – Gloucester Rugby". web page. Premier Rugby. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "Voyce's profile". England Rugby. 2 May 2007. Archived from the original on 16 November 2008.
  3. ^ "Tom Voyce's profile". ESPN/scrum.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  4. ^ "Tom Voyce". Inspirational People. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  5. ^ The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 11 January 2011
  6. ^ Sarah Griffiths (23 January 2009). "Voyce nominated Ambassador". Wooden Spoon Society. Retrieved 17 September 2009. [dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Voyce's Under 21 selection". Bath Rugby. 4 April 2002. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  8. ^ "England selections". Bath Rugby. 1 May 2001. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  9. ^ "USA v England 2001". ESPN/scrum.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  10. ^ "Voyce leaves Bath". Bath Rugby. 14 May 2003. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  11. ^ "Voyce's 2003/04 stats (Premiership only)". Guinness Premiership. Retrieved 17 September 2009. [dead link‍]
  12. ^ "Wasps 10-6 Bath". BBC. 29 May 2004. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  13. ^ "Wasps 27-20 Toulouse". BBC. 23 May 2004. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  14. ^ Christopher Lyles (6 November 2004). "Wasps v Harlequins game report". Telegraph. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  15. ^ "N. Zealand v England 2004". ESPN/scrum.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  16. ^ "Australia v England 2004". ESPN/scrum.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  17. ^ "Leicester 14-39 Wasps". BBC. 14 May 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  18. ^ "England v Samoa 2005". ESPN/scrum.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  19. ^ "Voyce's international career". ESPN/scrum.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  20. ^ "England v Wales 2006". ESPN/scrum.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  21. ^ "Italy v England 2006". ESPN/scrum.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  22. ^ "England v Ireland 2006". ESPN/scrum.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  23. ^ "Australia v England 2006". ESPN/scrum.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  24. ^ Mick Cleary (12 October 2008). "Voyce discusses his international chances". Telegraph. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  25. ^ "Heineken Cup final: Leicester 9-25 Wasps". BBC. 19 May 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  26. ^ "Cipriani and Voyce to miss final". bucksfreepress.co.uk. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  27. ^ "Voyce leaves Wasps". London Wasps. 20 March 2009. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
  28. ^ Anna Mitchell (20 March 2009). "Voyce delighted to Sign for Gloucester". Gloucester Rugby. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
  29. ^ "Voyce has big boots to fill at Gloucester". This Is Bristol. 21 March 2009. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
  30. ^ "Mike Tindall heads Gloucester departure list". BBC Sport. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  31. ^ "London Welsh sign former Gloucester wing Tom Voyce". BBC Sport. 26 October 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  32. ^ "Tom Voyce to retire with immediate effect". The Oxford Times. 16 May 2013.
  33. ^ a b "Body found in search for rugby star missing in flood". BBC News. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  34. ^ "Former England rugby star feared dead in flood". BBC News. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  35. ^ "Former England rugby player Tom Voyce missing presumed dead after car went into river". Sky News. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  36. ^ Media, P. A. (10 December 2024). "Tom Voyce, former England rugby player, presumed dead after car swept away". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  37. ^ "Body found in river confirmed as rugby star". BBC News. 13 December 2024.
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