Duncan Hodge
Encyclopedia
Duncan Hodge wasDuncan Hodge was (born August 18, 1974 in Dumfries
, Scotland
, is a Scottish former internationalist rugby union
player. He gained 26 full caps for Scotland.
in Edinburgh.
Early in his career he was given the choice of either tour Zimbabwe and South Africa with Scotland’s U19 cricketers or link up with their under-21 rugby counterparts. The latter was the only realistic choice for somebody who has already decided that he wanted to focus on a full-time career in sport.
Hodge won 26 caps
playing at fly-half for the Scottish rugby union side
between 1997 and 2002. His 1997 debut was as a replacement in the Five Nations game against France in Paris. As well as his games in Europe he played for Scotland in tours in Australia (1998), New Zealand (2000), and North America (2002). It was on the North American tour when he played in his last full internationals against Canada in Vancouver and USA in San Francisco. He also made 2 appearances in the 1999 World Cup.
His finest moment was when he converted his own try and kick four penalties to score all of the points for Scotland in the 2000 Calcutta Cup
19 - 13 win against England. This was in the inaugural season of the Six Nations
at a freezing sodden Murrayfield
.
At club level he played for Edinburgh Gunners
twice sandwiched around a two year spell with Leeds Tykes
. His second season in Leeds was ruined by injury.
in New Zealand as the Scotland squad kicking coach.
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, is a Scottish former internationalist rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He gained 26 full caps for Scotland.
Playing career
Hodge was born in Dumfries and educated at Merchiston Castle SchoolMerchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School is an independent school for boys in the village of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has about 480 pupils and is open to boys between the ages of 8 and 18 as either boarders or day pupils; day pupils make up 35% of the school....
in Edinburgh.
Early in his career he was given the choice of either tour Zimbabwe and South Africa with Scotland’s U19 cricketers or link up with their under-21 rugby counterparts. The latter was the only realistic choice for somebody who has already decided that he wanted to focus on a full-time career in sport.
Hodge won 26 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
playing at fly-half for the Scottish rugby union side
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
between 1997 and 2002. His 1997 debut was as a replacement in the Five Nations game against France in Paris. As well as his games in Europe he played for Scotland in tours in Australia (1998), New Zealand (2000), and North America (2002). It was on the North American tour when he played in his last full internationals against Canada in Vancouver and USA in San Francisco. He also made 2 appearances in the 1999 World Cup.
His finest moment was when he converted his own try and kick four penalties to score all of the points for Scotland in the 2000 Calcutta Cup
Calcutta Cup
The Calcutta Cup is a rugby union trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Six Nations Championship match between England and Scotland. It is currently England's since the 2009 Six Nations Championship....
19 - 13 win against England. This was in the inaugural season of the Six Nations
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
at a freezing sodden Murrayfield
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
.
At club level he played for Edinburgh Gunners
Edinburgh Gunners
Edinburgh Rugby is one of two professional rugby union teams in Scotland competing in the RaboDirect Pro12 League along with Glasgow Warriors, their oldest rivals...
twice sandwiched around a two year spell with Leeds Tykes
Leeds Tykes
Leeds Carnegie is an English rugby union club, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, currently playing in the RFU Championship. In recent years, they have bounced between the Premiership and the second-level National Division One, now known as the RFU Championship; they were either promoted or relegated...
. His second season in Leeds was ruined by injury.
Coaching
Duncan Hodge travelled to the 2011 Rugby World Cup2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
in New Zealand as the Scotland squad kicking coach.