The late Ken Scotland was one of The British & Irish Lions’ standout performers when the tourists won a two-match Test series in Australia 64 years ago.
Appropriately, the full-back was a Scotland international, and toured with the Lions in 1959, where he played in five of the six international fixtures against the Wallabies and New Zealand.
Aged just 23 at the time, Scotland quickly found himself as the most renowned full-back in rugby as he played in 22 of 33 fixtures across Australasia and Canada.
Named as one of five Players of the Year in New Zealand following the Tour, Scotland was described as ‘a potential match winner with his speed, elusiveness and eagerness to attack’.
It is those attributes which have made a lasting impact on the sport as a whole; with Scotland’s efforts becoming the architect of attacking full-back play.
Deceptively fast, Scotland could counterattack from deep, leaving defenders in his wake, and was able to pick the perfect line, helping the Lions to play the style of rugby which earned them such respect when in Australia and New Zealand, beating the Wallabies 2-0 before a hardfought series against the All Blacks ended in a 3-1 defeat.
With an astute kicking game too, Scotland’s style of play can be attributed to having played much of his rugby as a youngster at fly-half.
Not only able to kick off both feet, Scotland was also able to regularly utilise the now commonplace ‘spiral kick’, which he honed on the playing field of George Heriot’s School.
Taking on the No. 15 jersey as circumstances transpired to dislodge him from playmaker at the Scottish Trial, it was a move that has helped to shape the modern game.
Combining that skill with the boot and his natural rugby ability, Scotland became an entirely new proposition for whichever opposition he came up against.
“We had a different philosophy about place kicking in those days,” Scotland said. “Basically, whoever was nearest the ball or whoever shouted loudest would have taken the kicks at goal.
“And the fact is, if we had kicked our goals, we would have won that first Test in New Zealand in ’59 (The Lions outscored the All Blacks by four tries to nil in Dunedin but fell to an 18-17 defeat after Don Clarke kicked six penalties for New Zealand).
“We should have taken a specialist kicker.”
Scottish Rugby is immensely saddened to learn of the death of the former Scotland and @lionsofficial full-back Ken Scotland this weekend. He was 86.
Obituary: https://t.co/32nfhXxzpj pic.twitter.com/1gfkVEwHWr
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) January 8, 2023
In all Scotland scored 12 tries on that tour, with three of those coming against Hawke’s Bay on his first outing in Aotearoa and he set up just as many for teammates Tony O’Reilly and Peter Jackson.
Not content with starring in his own position, Scotland lined up in a total of four positions for the Lions on tour, including scrum-half and fly-half, while his appearance at centre in victory over the All Blacks in the fourth Test of a hotly contested series is remembered fondly.
“I remember the sense of real depression at losing that first Test,” Scotland said of his Lions experience.
“But then there was the euphoria of winning the fourth Test. Those memories still linger. They were great days, and they gave us absolutely marvellous memories.”
While still completing his studies at Cambridge University, Scotland played one first-class match for his country in 1958 before rugby took grip of his life.
Influential with the thistle on his chest for each of his 23 caps, Scotland retired from Test rugby in 1965.
Scotland passed away in January 2023 at the age of 86. In their obituary, Scottish Rugby described him as ‘ahead of his time, a true trailblazer’, whose playing style influenced the likes of JPR Williams and Andy Irvine.
It was on the pitch for the Lions where he is perhaps best remembered, those marauding runs in a red jersey earning him praise the world over.
