Andy Irvine (rugby union)

Template:Short description {{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:BLP sources Template:Infobox rugby biography

Andrew Robertson Irvine Template:Post-nominals (born 16 September 1951) is a former president of the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), and a former Scottish international rugby player.<ref name=Bath>Bath, p141</ref> He earned fifty one Scotland caps, captaining the team on fifteen occasions, and scored 250 points for Template:Nrut.<ref name=Massie1>Massie, p142</ref> He went on three British Lions tours.

Background

Irvine was born in Edinburgh, on 16 September 1951. He was educated at James Gillespie's Primary School and George Heriot's School.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> From there he went on to Edinburgh University where he graduated in Geography.

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Irvine originally played for Heriot's Rugby Club.<ref name=Bath/>

Provincial career

Irvine represented Edinburgh District in the Scottish Inter-District Championship.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

International career

He played for Scotland 'B' against France 'B' on 11 November 1972.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

As fullback for Template:Nrut, Irvine won 51 caps, between 1972–82 and scored ten tries.<ref name=Bath/> His first cap was against the All Blacks in December 1972.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His last international appearance was against Template:Nrut on 10 July 1982.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Irvine earned British Lions caps against South Africa (1974), New Zealand (1977) and South Africa (1980). He scored 156 points in fifteen games on the 1974 Lion tour.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> He also played for the Barbarians during their 1976 Easter Tour. In the 1974 tour, he adopted many South African tactics and styles of play, although J. P. R. Williams was preferred as full back for the tests, limiting Irvine to two test appearances on the wing.<ref name=Massie1/><ref name=Bath/>

Irvine vies with Ken Scotland, Gavin Hastings and Stuart Hogg for the title of Scotland's greatest ever fullback, with incisive running at a blistering pace from the back his trademark.<ref name=HoF/> A number of polls have voted Irvine Scotland's greatest player,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and he is generally considered<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> one of the best, if not the best, attacking full backs of his era.<ref name=HoF>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His presence in the line often distracted defenders even when he did not have possession.<ref>On this day in Scotland : Andy Irvine Ian Colville, 15 September 2010</ref>

Administrative career

In May 2005, Irvine announced his intention to stand for president of the Scottish Rugby Union.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was elected. He announced his readiness to stand for a second term at the end of March 2006.<ref>Irvine to stand for second term at SRU Scotsman.com, 1 April 2006</ref> and was unopposed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He stepped down from the role in June 2007, having served the maximum of two years in the post.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In August 2010 Irvine was appointed as the first independent chairman of Celtic Rugby.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In March 2010 the Bill McLaren Foundation launched, with Irvine and John Rutherford directors.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

Irvine was the tour manager of the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was the first successful Lions' tour since 1997, with the Lions winning the series 2-1.

Property career

After graduation Irvine followed a career in chartered surveying. In 2004, after 26 years at the property consultancy firm Jones Lang LaSalle, eight of them as managing director, he was appointed as chairman.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Other activities

Irvine has appeared as a guest on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound radio programme to comment on international rugby games. He has also coached rugby at Heriot's Rugby Club.

Personal life

Irvine and his wife Audrey had four children before separating. Irvine has a partner.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Awards and honours

Irvine was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1979 Birthday Honours for services to Rugby Football in Scotland.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2002 Irvine was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is an inductee of the International Rugby Hall of Fame.<ref name=HoF/>

References

Sources

1. Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 Template:ISBN)
2. Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; Template:ISBN)

External links

• Andy Irvine Scotsman.com, 2 May 2002
• Andy Irvine – part 1 (1972–79 Sporting-Heroes.net
• Andy Irvine – part 2 (1982–89 Sporting-Heroes.net
• Vintage Scottish rugby BBC Sport (video)
• Template:ESPNscrum
• Template:Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
• Template:World Rugby Hall of Fame