Tom Voyce
{{Short description|England international rugby union player (1981–2024)}}
{{About|the rugby player born in 1981|the rugby player born in 1897|Tom Voyce (rugby union, born 1897)}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name =
| image = File-ST vs Gloucester - Match - 8753.JPG
| image_size = 200
| birth_name = Thomas Michael Dunstan Voyce
| birth_date = {{birth date|1981|1|5|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Truro, Cornwall, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|12|8|1981|1|5|df=yes}}
| death_place = Alnwick, Northumberland, England
| height = {{convert|1.85|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| module = {{Infobox rugby biography | embed = yes
| ru_position = Fullback, Wing
| ru_nationalteam = England
| ru_nationalyears = 2001–2006
| ru_nationalcaps = 9
| ru_nationalpoints = (15)
| ru_ntupdate =
| ru_clubyears = 2000–2003
2003–2009
2009–2012
2012–2013
| ru_proclubs = {{nowrap|Bath
London Wasps
Gloucester
London Welsh}}
| ru_clubcaps = 55
124
38
8
| ru_clubpoints = (75)
(215)
(40)
(0)
| relatives = Anthony Thomas Voyce, great uncle
}}
}}
Thomas Michael Dunstan Voyce (5 January 1981 – 8 December 2024) was an English rugby union player who played at wing or fullback. He was capped by England.{{cite news |title=Tom Voyce |url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/births-marriages-and-deaths-december-30-2024-chnst03wz |access-date=2 January 2025 |publisher=The Times |date=30 December 2024}}
Background
Tom Voyce was born on 5 January 1981 in Truro, Cornwall.{{cite web
|title = Voyce's profile
|date = 2 May 2007
|publisher = England Rugby
|url = http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=10919
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20081116192308/http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=10919
|archivedate = 16 November 2008
|df = dmy-all
}}
Voyce's great-uncle, Anthony Thomas Voyce, won 27 caps for England, while playing for Gloucester Rugby, during the 1920s{{cite web
|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/england/rugby/player/2638.html
|title=Tom Voyce's profile
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}} and was a member of the first double Grand Slam winning team. He went on to become President of the RFU in 1960–61.{{cite web
|url=http://www.inspirationalpeople.biz/pages/profile-Tom-Voyce--UK.html?sub_cat=15&artist=44
|title=Tom Voyce
|access-date=17 September 2009 |publisher=Inspirational People
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706145103/http://www.inspirationalpeople.biz/pages/profile-Tom-Voyce--UK.html?sub_cat=15&artist=44
|archivedate=6 July 2011
}}
Voyce was educated at Penair School, Truro and then studied at King's College, Taunton.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/3005149/Voyce-confident-of-making-a-big-noise.html The Daily Telegraph] Retrieved 11 January 2011
Outside the rugby field, Voyce was an Ambassador of the Wooden Spoon Society.{{cite web
|url=http://www.woodenspoon.com/2069_2075.php
|title=Voyce nominated Ambassador
|author=Sarah Griffiths
|date=23 January 2009
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=Wooden Spoon Society}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
Voyce married Anna Wood in September 2015.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
Career
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.
=Bath 1997–2003=
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.{{cite web
|url=http://www.bathrugby.com/news/1164.php
|title=Voyce's Under 21 selection
|date=4 April 2002 |access-date=17 September 2009 |publisher=Bath Rugby
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615195029/http://www.bathrugby.com/news/1164.php
|archivedate=15 June 2011
}} He was selected for England's 2001 tour to North America,{{cite web
|url=http://www.bathrugby.com/news/4510.php
|title=England selections
|date=1 May 2001 |access-date=17 September 2009 |publisher=Bath Rugby
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615195300/http://www.bathrugby.com/news/4510.php
|archivedate=15 June 2011
}} where he won his first cap against the USA.{{cite web
|url=http://www.scrum.com/england/rugby/match/24008.html
|title=USA v England 2001
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}}
=Wasps 2003–2009=
In 2003 Voyce moved to London, to join Wasps for the 2003–04 season{{cite web
|url=http://www.bathrugby.com/news/2267.php
|title=Voyce leaves Bath
|date=14 May 2003 |access-date=17 September 2009 |publisher=Bath Rugby
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615195339/http://www.bathrugby.com/news/2267.php
|archivedate=15 June 2011
}} 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.{{cite web
|url=http://www.guinnesspremiership.com/stats/profiles.php?player=4345&includeref=dynamic
|title=Voyce's 2003/04 stats (Premiership only)
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=Guinness Premiership}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} At the end of the season Wasps won the Premiership final against his former club Bath.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/3754577.stm |title=Wasps 10-6 Bath |publisher=BBC|date=29 May 2004 |access-date=6 February 2020}} He also helped Wasps win the Heineken Cup that season.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/european/3733109.stm |title=Wasps 27-20 Toulouse |publisher=BBC|date=23 May 2004 |access-date=7 February 2020}} 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,{{cite web
|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2389614/Voyce-is-quick-to-make-mark.html
|title=Wasps v Harlequins game report
|author=Christopher Lyles
|date=6 November 2004
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=Telegraph}} 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{{cite web
|url=http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/24722.html
|title=N. Zealand v England 2004
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}} and Australia in Brisbane.{{cite web
|url=http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/24728.html
|title=Australia v England 2004
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}} He helped Wasps win their third consecutive Premiership title in 2005, this time scoring a try in the final against Leicester.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/4537935.stm |title=Leicester 14-39 Wasps |publisher=BBC|date=14 May 2005 |access-date=6 February 2020}}
In 2005 he marked his first Twickenham Test appearance with two tries against Samoa.{{cite web
|url=http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/25100.html
|title=England v Samoa 2005
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}}
Voyce was selected for every match of the 2006 Six Nations Championship.{{cite web
|url=http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/player/13687.html?class=1;template=results;type=player;view=match
|title=Voyce's international career
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}} 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.{{cite web
|url=http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/25113.html
|title=England v Wales 2006
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}} This injury meant that Voyce secured the number 15 jersey for the next game against Italy.{{cite web
|url=http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/25117.html
|title=Italy v England 2006
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}} 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.{{cite web
|url=http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/25132.html
|title=England v Ireland 2006
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}} Later that year, he played his last international against Australia, in Sydney.{{cite web
|url=http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/25209.html
|title=Australia v England 2006
|date=
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=ESPN/scrum.com}} His performance in such game was – according to himself – quite poor, and this might have jeopardised his international career.{{cite web
|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/3197388/Wasps-wing-Tom-Voyce-impresses-England-manager-Martin-Johnson-in-Heineken-Cup-Rugby-Union.html
|title=Voyce discusses his international chances
|author=Mick Cleary
|date=12 October 2008
|access-date=17 September 2009
|publisher=Telegraph}}
Voyce won his second Heineken Cup with Wasps in 2007.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6663245.stm |title=Heineken Cup final: Leicester 9-25 Wasps |publisher=BBC|date=19 May 2007 |access-date=7 February 2020}} However injury ruled him out of Wasps' victory in the 2007–08 Premiership final.{{cite news
|url=https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/sport/2279340.cipriani-and-voyce-to-miss-final/
|title=Cipriani and Voyce to miss final
|publisher=bucksfreepress.co.uk
|date=18 May 2008 |access-date=31 October 2020}}
=Gloucester 2009–2012=
In March 2009, it was announced that Voyce would join Gloucester Rugby from the 2009–10 season.{{cite web
|url=http://www.wasps.co.uk/news/Wasps30591.ink
|title=Voyce leaves Wasps
|date=20 March 2009
|access-date=8 May 2009
|publisher=London Wasps}}{{cite web
|url=http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/news/4854.php
|title=Voyce delighted to Sign for Gloucester
|author=Anna Mitchell
|date=20 March 2009
|access-date=6 March 2011
|publisher=Gloucester Rugby}}{{cite web
|url = http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Voyce-big-boots-Gloucester/article-787244-detail/article.html
|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130505071010/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Voyce-big-boots-Gloucester/article-787244-detail/article.html
|url-status = dead
|archive-date = 5 May 2013
|title = Voyce has big boots to fill at Gloucester
|date = 21 March 2009
|access-date = 8 May 2009
|work = This Is Bristol
}}
In April 2012, his departure from Gloucester was announced.{{cite web
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17839718
|title=Mike Tindall heads Gloucester departure list
|date=25 April 2012
|access-date=25 April 2012
|work=BBC Sport}}
=London Welsh 2012–2013=
In October 2012, Voyce joined London Welsh.{{cite news|title=London Welsh sign former Gloucester wing Tom Voyce|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20094674|access-date=3 December 2012|newspaper=BBC Sport|date=26 October 2012}}
On 16 May 2013, it was announced Voyce would retire from all forms of rugby with immediate effect.{{cite news|url=http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/sport/10423529.RUGBY_UNION__London_Welsh_s_Voyce_retires/|work=The Oxford Times|title=Tom Voyce to retire with immediate effect|date=16 May 2013}} After retirement, Voyce worked at Investec Bank Plc.
Disappearance and death
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.{{cite news |title=Former England rugby star feared dead in flood |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7859539x9vo |access-date=10 December 2024 |work=BBC News |date=10 December 2024}}{{cite news |title=Former England rugby player Tom Voyce missing presumed dead after car went into river |url=https://news.sky.com/story/former-england-rugby-player-tom-voyce-missing-presumed-dead-after-car-went-into-river-13270990 |access-date=10 December 2024 |work=Sky News |date=10 December 2024}} Police said they thought he had tried unsuccessfully to ford the River Aln, and was swept away while attempting to escape from his vehicle.{{Cite news |last=Media |first=P. A. |date=10 December 2024 |title=Tom Voyce, former England rugby player, presumed dead after car swept away |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/dec/10/tom-voyce-presumed-dead-after-car-swept-away-river-northumberland-rugby-union |access-date=10 December 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
On 12 December 2024, a body was found in the search for Voyce near Abberwick Mill, near Bolton, Northumberland,{{cite news |title=Body found in search for rugby star missing in flood |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kej2m3dvvo |access-date=12 December 2024 |work=BBC News |date=12 December 2024}} which was later confirmed to be Voyce.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70e52wyzzjo |title=Body found in river confirmed as rugby star |date=13 December 2024 |work=BBC News}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Cornwall}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110913060919/http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/rugby/squad.php?player=4345&includeref=dynamic Gloucester Rugby profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110605082206/http://www.wasps.co.uk/playerdisplaySS.ink?skip=28&season=07%2F08&seasonl=2007%2F2008&playertype=P Wasps profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081116192308/http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=10919 England profile]
- [http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/player/13687.html?class=1;type=player Profile at scrum.com]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Voyce, Tom}}
Category:2020s missing person cases
Category:England international rugby union players
Category:English rugby union players
Category:Gloucester Rugby players
Category:London Welsh RFC players
Category:People educated at King's College, Taunton
Category:Rugby union fullbacks