Francis Andrew Linden Laidlaw (born 20 September 1940)[1] is a former Scotland international rugby union player[2][3]

Frank Laidlaw
Birth nameFrancis Andrew Linden Laidlaw
Date of birth (1940-09-20) 20 September 1940 (age 83)
Place of birthHawick, Scotland
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
- Melrose ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
- Scottish Border XV
South of Scotland District
Whites Trial
()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1965-71
1966
Scotland
British & Irish Lions
32
2
(0)
(0)

Rugby Union career edit

Amateur career edit

He played for Melrose.[3][4]

Norman Mair once said that Frank Laidlaw regarded the loss of his own ball as he would a family bereavement.[4]

Provincial career edit

He played for a Scottish Border XV on 10 October 1962 in a warm up for that year's championship and to secure selection to the South side.

He played for South of Scotland District.

He played for the Whites Trial side on 15 December 1962, 9 February 1963 and 2 March 1963.

International career edit

He was capped thirty-two times for Scotland as a hooker between 1964 and 1971[5] and captained his country twice.[4][6] His 1966 game against Wales was what was known as "the Melrose Game" by Bill McLaren because his club, Melrose, had four players on the national side: the others being Alex Hastie, David Chisholm and Jim Telfer.[4] Scotland won 11–5.[4]

He toured twice with the British & Irish Lions:- to Australia and New Zealand in 1966 and New Zealand in 1971.[3]

Outside of rugby edit

He is a proponent of Scientology.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ Griffiths, John (1987). The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records. London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. pp. 12:16. ISBN 0-460-07003-7.
  2. ^ Scotland's International Players[permanent dead link].
  3. ^ a b c Bath, p119
  4. ^ a b c d e McLaren, p133
  5. ^ Griffiths, page 2:38-2:40
  6. ^ "Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - Frank Laidlaw - Test matches".
  7. ^ Morrison, Iain (10 November 2002). "Coach Class: Iain Morrison meets Scott Murray, a player". The Sunday Herald. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
Sources
  • Bath, Richard – A Scottish Rugby Miscellany
  • McLaren, BillTalking of Rugby
  • Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; ISBN 0-904919-84-6)