Jim Renwick
Encyclopedia
Jim Renwick was one of Scotland's greatest rugby players, usually at centre. He played for Hawick Harlequins RFC
and the full Hawick RFC
team, and the British Lions
, 1972–84. He earned 52 caps for his country. Allan Massie
thinks his 1981-82 international season was his best, and describes him as "an individualist rather than a link-man". and that
A player of precocious talent, Jim Renwick was aged just nineteen when he won his first cap against in 1972. It was the first of a then-record 52 appearances for Scotland, and scored eleven tries. He tended to be at his best when playing against , scoring more tries against them than any other country.
Richard Bath writes of him that:
Renwick was a slightly unorthodox player, and considered suspect in defence in the early part of his career - this saw him left out of the 1977 Lions - although appearances were deceptive. While Renwick never tackled in the classic style, few men got passed him; he preferred a high, smothering tackle that also had the benefit of often allowing him to stay on his feet, and therefore stay in the game.
In Bucharest
, May 1984, Renwick broke Andy Irvine
's previous record of fifty one caps playing , even though he'd missed the first past of the season through injury.
Equally unorthodox in appearance, the sight of the later Renwick, bald and moustached, slightly rotund, with his head-nodding as he ran, jinking and weaving and breaking into open space, was one of the more peculiar joys of international rugby. He was a good kicker, but he had a weak left foot, and preferred to run with the ball.
He was dropped on the Lions tour, in favour of an English player.
Allan Massie thought his handling and evasion skills were marvellous:
Renwick retired at the beginning of the 1984 season, just before Scotland claimed its first grand slam since 1925.
He has 7 children, and is currently married to Jane Renwick.
.
Hawick Harlequins RFC
Hawick Harlequins Rugby Football Club are a Scottish Rugby Union team. Based in Hawick, Scotland they play in the East Regional Leagues.-Notable players:*Jim Renwick, capped 52 times for Scotland*Rory Macpherson* Shaun Peffers-References:...
and the full Hawick RFC
Hawick RFC
Hawick Rugby Football Club is a semi-professional rugby union side, currently playing in the Premiership Division One and Border League. The team are based at Mansfield Park at Hawick in the Scottish Borders....
team, and the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
, 1972–84. He earned 52 caps for his country. Allan Massie
Allan Massie
Allan Massie is a well-known Scottish journalist, sports writer and novelist.-Early life:Born in 1938 in Singapore, where his father was a rubber planter for Sime Darby, Massie spent his childhood in Aberdeenshire...
thinks his 1981-82 international season was his best, and describes him as "an individualist rather than a link-man". and that
- "Indeed, he was often at his most dangerous collecting bad ball, when his ability to accelerate from a standing start, jinking and weaving and ducking under tackles, enabled him to split defences whose wit was not as sharp as his. Renwick was also a fine and consistent place-kicker – although rarely used at international level – a good, if one-footed, kicker from hand, and an excellent drop-kicker (he scored drop-goals against both and in season 1981-82). Despite all this, his game was characterized by a willingness to always to run the ball."
A player of precocious talent, Jim Renwick was aged just nineteen when he won his first cap against in 1972. It was the first of a then-record 52 appearances for Scotland, and scored eleven tries. He tended to be at his best when playing against , scoring more tries against them than any other country.
Richard Bath writes of him that:
- "The bald pate of Hawick's Jim Renwick was one of the most familiar sights of the 1970s. Although the Borderer's lack of hair made him look a deal older, and at times he was overshadowed by the genuius of John Rutherford, Renwick was no journeyman. Staunch in defence, it was in attack where he was at his most effective. A short man, he had the ability to wriggle through tackles and to consistently break the gain line. Renwick announced his presence on the international stage with a try on his debut against FranceFrance national rugby union teamThe France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
".
Renwick was a slightly unorthodox player, and considered suspect in defence in the early part of his career - this saw him left out of the 1977 Lions - although appearances were deceptive. While Renwick never tackled in the classic style, few men got passed him; he preferred a high, smothering tackle that also had the benefit of often allowing him to stay on his feet, and therefore stay in the game.
In Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, May 1984, Renwick broke Andy Irvine
Andy Irvine (rugby player)
Andrew Robertson "Andy" Irvine MBE is a former President of the Scottish Rugby Union , and a former Scottish international rugby player. He earned fifty one Scottish caps, and scored over 250 points for .-Background:...
's previous record of fifty one caps playing , even though he'd missed the first past of the season through injury.
Equally unorthodox in appearance, the sight of the later Renwick, bald and moustached, slightly rotund, with his head-nodding as he ran, jinking and weaving and breaking into open space, was one of the more peculiar joys of international rugby. He was a good kicker, but he had a weak left foot, and preferred to run with the ball.
He was dropped on the Lions tour, in favour of an English player.
Allan Massie thought his handling and evasion skills were marvellous:
- "He had marvellous adhesive hands, and perhaps the quickest wit of any midfield player of recent years. Indeed he was often at his most dangerous when on the receiving end of a bad pass, for then his ability to dodge and accelerate abruptly from a standing start enabled him to split many defences. To see him run out of defence, jinking and swerving, the ball unusually high under his arm, was always exhilarating. He was very hard to put down, being powerful in the hips, and quick to slide under the high tackles with a shrug of his shoulders. Eels might envy his elusiveness."
Renwick retired at the beginning of the 1984 season, just before Scotland claimed its first grand slam since 1925.
He has 7 children, and is currently married to Jane Renwick.
External links
- Jim Renwick in The ScotsmanThe ScotsmanThe Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
newspaper
.