George Neilson was a Scotland international rugby union player.[1]

George Neilson
Birth nameGeorge Thomson Neilson
Date of birth(1872-01-22)22 January 1872
Place of birthBothwell, Scotland
Date of death6 April 1944(1944-04-06) (aged 72)
Place of deathMilton, Glasgow, Scotland
Notable relative(s)Willie Neilson, brother
Gordon Neilson, brother
Robert Neilson, brother
George Thomson, grandfather
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
- West of Scotland ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1891 Glasgow District ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1891–96 Scotland 14 (6)
28th President of the Scottish Rugby Union
In office
1901–1902
Preceded byRobert MacMillan
Succeeded byRoger Davidson

Rugby union career edit

Amateur

He played for West of Scotland.[1]

Provincial

He was capped by Glasgow District in the inter-city match of 5 December 1891.[2]

International

He was capped fourteen times for Scotland between 1891 and 1896.[1][3]

Administrative

Along with his brothers, William and Robert, he was a president of the Scottish Rugby Union. George was the 28th President of the Scottish Rugby Union. He served the 1901–1902 term in office.[4]

Family edit

His father was James Neilson, an Ironmaster and second cousin of Walter Montgomerie Neilson and his mother was Jane Thomson, daughter of George Thomson, the famous Glasgow shipbuilder. He attended Merchiston Castle School.

He was the brother of Willie, Gordon and Robert Neilson who were also capped for Scotland.[1] In 1891, he made his debut, along with his brother William in the game against Wales – it is the only time that brothers have debuted together for Scotland, with the exception of the joint debut of Gavin and Scott Hastings.[5] One of the four Neilson brothers played in each of the twenty five matches between Willie and George's debut in 1891, until 1899, when Robert had to withdraw from the Calcutta Cup line-up after breaking his nose.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Bath, p137
  2. ^ "The Glasgow Herald – Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Rugby Union – ESPN Scrum – Statsguru – Player analysis – George Neilson – Test matches".
  4. ^ "Scottish Rugby Record 2018/19" (PDF). Scottish Rugby.
  5. ^ a b Bath, p97
Sources
  1. Bath, Richard (ed.) The Scotland Rugby Miscellany (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 ISBN 1-905326-24-6)
  2. Thorburn, Sandy The History of Scottish Rugby