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To 1986-97 Scottish and British Lion Scott Hastings
This Ten Questions idea is to ask a leading rugby personality; either a player, or from the the media or an administrator some questions which may prompt a response from them which we have not heard of before;
It must have been a great day in the Hastings household in Edinburgh on 17 January 1986. Two brothers from the same family made their test debuts on the same afternoon for Scotland. Gavin was the older by three years. He was fullback while Scott, the younger, was one of the centres. Both went on to become key members of Scottish and British rugby and to this day are strong personalities for the game.
Scott was a very sharp midfield player with excellent attacking skills while at the time his defence was as good as any back in the world. The spread of Scott's time in international rugby was over 13 seasons. He played 65 test matches in all and attended two Rugby World Cup events. He was also a British Lion, touring to Australia in 1989. There he played some of his sharpest rugby, playing in nine of the 12 tour games, including two tests against the Wallabies.
There is perhaps an insight into Scott with this quote on his twitter account heading; "I believe in depth of spirit in the heart of mankind. I have the will to be better tomorrow then I am today."
After his playing days concluded Scott's ebullient character has seen hm move effortlessly into the media. He has been a regular TV presenter and broadcaster in a number of areas over the last few years. He has become a regular on the IRB's World Sevens Series. He lives in Edinburgh.
My thanks to Scott for his willingness to open up to 'Ten Questions' for keithquinnrugby.com
A picture follows of Scott Hastings in action for his beloved Scotland.
Who were your heroes in sport when you were growing up?
In rugby it was Andy Irvine the great Scottish and Lions full back. A brilliant attacker he was my Scottish hero! In golf it was Jack Nicklaus – just wish I could have played golf like him!
Not counting where you live now; is there a favourite other place on earth you would like to live in?
I say to folk; New Zealand is like Scotland but the weather is better and I do love NZ but I was invited to the Turks & Caicos Island recently and that was pretty cool. My 2 favourite cities are New York and Hong Kong but I would not wish to stay.
Is there a trait in your personality that you do not like?
I can sometimes come across as patronising (according to my 18 year old daughter) but do not know I am doing it.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Swearing – there is no need for it - and dropping litter! Not saying please and thank-you and to be polite and courteous – values in life that my parents taught me.
Do you have a great fear or superstition of anything?
When I played for my rugby club Watsonians I’d always use the same peg. After 227 games and 12 seasons I managed to extract it off the wall and I still have it to this day!
In all your life what do you consider your greatest and most proud achievement?
Everyone dreams of playing for their country. At the age of 21 my 1st cap was pretty special as was my Melrose 7s winner’s medal. Melrose was where the game of 7s was founded and now that I commentate on the IRB Sevens World Series and have seen at first hand the explosion of this wonderful game, it gives me great satisfaction to have secured my medal from the place that invented the game!
What is your most treasured possession?
My wife Jenny is a pretty important 'possession' if that's the term! We met at school and she has always supported me in everything I do but apart from her and of course my kids there are two other things that mean a lot to me.
Rugby players - well Scottish ones; they do not win many medals but my Melrose 7s medal is pretty special and alongside that medal on my mantelpiece at home sits a carved statue of a Lion. It's carved from green stone and I bought it in South Africa at the Rugby World Cup in 1995. It is a reminder to me of a fantastic tournament; my first safari at Mala Mala Game Reserve and a pat on the back to myself for playing for the British & Irish Lions.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Laughter with friends!
What is something that you feel you haven't yet achieved in your life?
I treasure every day I am here and currently live the dream commentating on rugby and being involved in sport.
What has been a kind of 'motto' that has got you through life - to where you are today?
One of my teachers wrote in a school report that ‘Scott should try harder’. I do this every day of my life!
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Every day there is Rugby History 14 June 1987
Click to show Wales is beaten by 49-6 and NZ go into the 1st Rugby World Cup final.
NZ had to go to Brisbane for this Sunday game; the ABs scored 8 tries to 1! Winning the first World Cup was now only a week away!
A-Z of Rugby
Click to show INTER-ISLAND MATCH
INTER-ISLAND MATCH
This was a game which was begun in New Zealand in 1897 and which became an annual one (with the exception of 1930 and the war years) until 1986, between teams representing the two main islands of New Zealand.
The inter-island series, North Island against South Island, was, through the 1920s right up to the early 1970s, consistently up to international standard. In its heyday, the game was eagerly looked forward to by everyone in New Zealand as it featured a match that often had the look of New Zealand ‘A’ against New Zealand ‘B’ (the ‘A’ team being the side which won!). Sometimes the game did officially double as an All Black trial.
In the 1970s lack of promotion of the game led to loss of interest. The New Zealand Rugby Union, after years of playing the inter-island game at major grounds, started moving it to lesser towns. Public support fell away and towards the end the game was marked by the number of top players who declared their unavailability rather than by those who did turn out. It was sad for New Zealand traditionalists when the match was abolished in 1987 and replaced by a three-way regional trial series featuring teams from three new zones, Northern, Central and Southern.
The last annual game in 1986 was typical of the decline of the North v South game. Played in the smasll town of Oamaru in the South Island, the game had a local college match as its curtain-raiser. When the college game finished, most of the crowds of local schoolchildren drifted away home, leaving the inter-island match to go ahead in front of a much smaller audience. The North Island won the game 22–10, ending the annual series with 49 wins. South had won 26 times and there were three drawn games.
The North-South game did return for special one-off games in 1995 and 2012. The former was an All Black trial and the latter was a fundraising game for the financially troubled Otago Rugby Union.
Ironically the inter-zone series which had followed the cancelled North-South series in 1986 had only three seasons of play before it, too, folded through lack of interest.
10 Questions to well known sporting people
Today's KQ Rugby Quiz
Who were the players who first took successfully kicked test match penalties past the 6,7,8, and 9 World Record Marks?
What do you think?
Click here to show the answer.