Bruce Thomson (rugby union)

Bruce Thomson (19 November 1930 – 13 January 2020) was a Scotland international rugby union player. Thomson played as a Prop.[1] He was also a noted bagpiper.[2]

Bruce Thomson
Birth nameBruce Ewan Thomson
Date of birth(1930-11-19)19 November 1930
Place of birthAssam, British India
Date of death13 January 2020(2020-01-13) (aged 89)
Place of deathCrieff, Scotland
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
- ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1953 3 (0)

Rugby union career edit

Amateur career edit

Thomson played rugby for Oxford University.[3] He later played rugby for London Scottish.[2]

International career edit

Thomson was capped for Scotland 3 times in 1953.[4]

Outside of rugby edit

Medical career edit

Thomson became a doctor, working as a GP in Horsham, Sussex.[5]

Bagpipes edit

Thomson learned the bagpipes at Aberdeen Grammar School.[6]

After school he joined the army where he was taught by Pipe Major Donald McLeod. He composed more than 450 bagpipe tunes and performed for the Queen.[2] He was influenced by Seumas MacNeill, Pipe Major Brian McRae and the members of The Royal Scottish Pipers Society.[6]

Thomson published published several books of his bagpipe tunes.[7]

Later life and death edit

Thomson later retired to Crieff, Perthshire.[6] He died there on 13 January 2020, at the age of 89.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Bruce Ewan Thomson".
  2. ^ a b c MD, Eric Anderson. "Thomson's Tunes: a Scottish Retired Doctor Brings Fresh Air to the Bagpipes".
  3. ^ The Essential History of Rugby Union: Scotland. Nick Oswald and John Griffiths.
  4. ^ "Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - Bruce Thomson - Test matches".
  5. ^ MD, Eric Anderson. "Thomson's Tunes: a Scottish Retired Doctor Brings Fresh Air to the Bagpipes".
  6. ^ a b c "Dr Bruce Thomson - Autobiography".
  7. ^ "Bruce Thomson : Pipetunes".