Ken Scotland
Encyclopedia
Kenneth "Ken" J.F. Scotland was a Scottish rugby union player. He played for Scotland
a number of times between 1957 and 1965, and for the British Lions on their 1959 tour of New Zealand; he was a full-back. He also played for the Scottish national cricket team.
Scotland was originally picked for the match against France
, while doing his National Service
in the Army
, and scored the only points in the match, a drop goal and a penalty.
Richard Bath writes of him that:
However, after his first international season he ran into trouble, when he had a trial for Cambridge University
, and it is claimed he lost his form all that autumn, and was only third choice for the University. An injury to Robin Chisholm
brought him back onto the Scotland team, and played for another five seasons without discussion. Gordon Waddell
was one of his more famous team mates at Cambridge.
Scotland's goal kicking style was highly influential:
But on the other hand, Scotland missed three penalty kicks against during 1962 Calcutta Cup
.
After moving to Aberdeen
, Ken Scotland played for Aberdeenshire, and for the Scottish North-Midlands district team.
was being interviewed on the occasion of his fiftieth cap for Ireland
, and was asked who he thought was the greatest rugby player of his time, and replied,:"Ken Scotland. It was a privilege to be on the same field as him." Arthur Smith called him "the best passer of a ball I played with."
Allan Massie
puts him in a class with Jackie Kyle, Mike Gibson and Barry John
, and says:
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...
a number of times between 1957 and 1965, and for the British Lions on their 1959 tour of New Zealand; he was a full-back. He also played for the Scottish national cricket team.
Scotland was originally picked for the match against France
France national rugby union team
The 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...
, while doing his National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
, and scored the only points in the match, a drop goal and a penalty.
Richard Bath writes of him that:
- "Like Gavin HastingsGavin HastingsAndrew Gavin Hastings, OBE is a former Scotland rugby union player. He is frequently considered one of the best, if not the best, rugby player to come out of Scotland. His nickname is "Big Gav".Hastings was born in Edinburgh...
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...
nearly three decades later, Ken Scotland started his international career on a high note, scoring all six points in his country's win over France. Yet although Scotland made a huge impact when he won his first cap aged 19, it could all have been so different. Until circumstances caused his selection at full-back at for the Scottish Trial earlier that year, Scotland had always played fly-half. That experience of playing fly-half added another dimension to his game, and he soon emerged as the first true attacking full-back in an age where a safety-first attitude and a large boot were the most important attributes for any No. 15... Novel at the time, it is now the staple diet of attacking full-backs the world over."
However, after his first international season he ran into trouble, when he had a trial for Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
, and it is claimed he lost his form all that autumn, and was only third choice for the University. An injury to Robin Chisholm
Robin Chisholm
Robin Chisholm was a Scottish international rugby union player.He was capped for eleven times between 1955-60. He also played for Melrose RFC.His brother David Chisholm was also capped for Scotland.-References:...
brought him back onto the Scotland team, and played for another five seasons without discussion. Gordon Waddell
Gordon Waddell
Gordon James Barr Waddell was a Scottish rugby union player, and the son of Herbert Waddell. He played for the invitational tourist team, the Barbarians and on two British and Irish Lions tours. In fact he is the only Scottish stand off to be double lion...
was one of his more famous team mates at Cambridge.
Scotland's goal kicking style was highly influential:
- "As a goal kicker he popularized the instep style, then deplored by most coaches, now adopted by most kickers... His record as a goal-kicker hardly compares with Andy IrvineAndy 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:...
, but then the modern ball flies further and truer."
But on the other hand, Scotland missed three penalty kicks against during 1962 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....
.
After moving to Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Ken Scotland played for Aberdeenshire, and for the Scottish North-Midlands district team.
Tributes
Tom KiernanTom Kiernan
Thomas Joseph Kiernan is a former Ireland international rugby union player. He won 54 caps for Ireland as a full-back between 1960 and 1973 and captained his country 24 times. At the time of his retirement he was Ireland's most-capped player, most experienced captain and record scorer in...
was being interviewed on the occasion of his fiftieth cap for Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, and was asked who he thought was the greatest rugby player of his time, and replied,:"Ken Scotland. It was a privilege to be on the same field as him." Arthur Smith called him "the best passer of a ball I played with."
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...
puts him in a class with Jackie Kyle, Mike Gibson and Barry John
Barry John
Barry John is a former Welsh rugby union fly-half who played, during the amateur era of the sport, in the 1960s and early 1970s. John began his rugby career as a schoolboy playing for his local team Cefneithin RFC before switching to first-class west Wales team Llanelli RFC in 1964...
, and says:
- "His sense of position was very fine, sometimes uncanny; it was very rare to see him caught out, and he played in the days when full-backs received even more bombardment than they do now... He kicked beautifully with either foot. His tackling, though not destructive in the Bruce HayBruce HayBruce Hamilton Hay was a Scottish international rugby union player.-Background:Hay was born in Edinburgh and educated at Liberton High School. From there he went on to work as an engineer for the National Coal Board...
manner, for he was slim and light of build, was very safe. I recall vividly one try-saving tackle in 1961 on the Welsh winger Dewi BebbDewi BebbDewi Iorwerth Ellis Bebb was a Welsh rugby union player who won thirty four caps for Wales as a wing.Dewi Bebb was the son of the Welsh historian Ambrose Bebb. Educated at Friars School, Bangor, he later studied at Trinity College, Carmarthen, and Cardiff Teacher Training College. He made his...
; it could have been used to illustrate a textbook and carried Bebb well into touch.
- "He was first full-back fully to exploit the attacking possibilities of the game. He wasn't of course the first to refuse to be restricted to a fielding, tackling and kicking role, but not even the great New Zealander Bob Scott had brought the same spirit of intelligent adventure to the position.""
See also
- List of Scottish cricket and rugby union players