2 weeks ago
Scott Hastings, nan astir capped centre successful nan history of Scotland’s rugby national side, played a cardinal domiciled successful his country’s epic 1990 expansive slam triumph complete England astatine Murrayfield. Scott, whose sanction will beryllium everlastingly linked pinch his elder relative Gavin, was a protect bulwark of nan Scottish squad and his astonishing tackle from down that time connected Rory Underwood helped unafraid his country’s finest ever victory.
In galore ways Scott, who has died aged 61 of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and Gavin were chalk and cheese. The full-back Gavin was affable capable but quiet and earnest while Scott ever had a grin connected his face. He was a applicable joker successful his playing days, nan dying era of amateurism. “In nan end,” he erstwhile said, “I recognise that rugby is still each astir fun.”
Not that Hastings was little than committed connected nan field. He put his caput wherever it hurt. There is simply a celebrated and grisly photograph of him successful nan aftermath of a conclusion by Otago early connected nan 1993 British and Irish Lions circuit of New Zealand, his cheekbone shattered by a tackle.
His circuit ended unhappily 4 years aft Scott and Gavin became nan first brace of brothers to look together successful a Lions Test side. In Australia successful 1989 Scott’s business pinch England’s Jeremy Guscott was instrumental successful nan Lions recovering from going 1 down successful nan first Test to triumph nan series.
Born successful Edinburgh, he was 1 of nan 4 sons of Clifford Hastings, an accountant who played successful nan backmost statement for nan city’s Watsonians nine and his wife, Isobel. The youngest son, Ewan, played pinch Scott and Gavin for Watsonians while nan eldest, Graeme, emigrated arsenic a young man and played for Victoria authorities successful Australia.
The brothers attended George Watson’s college, wherever Scott was coached by a erstwhile international, Donald Scott. The young man’s talent was evident from an early age. He had awesome acceleration and a pulverising tackle, and by nan property of 21 had progressed to nan Edinburgh District broadside earlier making his Scotland debut alongside Gavin, who was besides making his debut, successful nan Five Nations triumph complete France successful 1986. Gavin scored six penalties that time arsenic Scotland scraped location to triumph 18-17.
By 1989 Scott was selected for nan Lions successful Australia. Ironically it was 1 of his little than well-directed passes that someway recovered nan hands of Gavin who scooped up nan shot to people a important effort successful nan 2nd Test triumph successful Brisbane. But it was nan 1990 expansive slam lucifer astatine Murrayfield wherever nan Hastings brothers really made their names. Will Carling’s England broadside were beardown favourites. The Scotland skipper David Sole led nan squad retired pinch a slow march astatine Murrayfield, his broadside played retired of their skins and a effort by Tony Stanger settled a momentous lucifer pinch Scotland winning 13-7.
The expansive slam triumph had been masterminded by Scotland’s cerebral coach Ian McGeechan who lived successful Leeds and plotted nan downfall of England pinch his meticulous attraction to detail. Hastings greatly admired McGeechan, arsenic did each nan Scotland players, but he had a much ambivalent cognition towards nan different Scotland coach of that era, Jim Telfer.
Telfer was a strict disciplinarian and passionate astir rugby. He peculiarly admired New Zealand’s attack to nan crippled and it was connected a circuit to that state successful 1996 that Hastings became 1 of Telfer’s strongest critics – nan brace had a mates of immense confrontations.
Hastings went connected to triumph 65 caps. He was ever speedy to punctual his elder relative that that was six much than Gavin. The brace had a related rivalry from nan days they could walk. “You would person your postulation of brew mats and Scott would conscionable travel successful to annoy maine and conscionable bloody good flatten nan lot. So he sewage a clip information nan ear,” remembered Gavin. But nevertheless these 2 beardown personalities clashed, nan Hastings boys were possibly nan astir highly regarded brothers successful immoderate squad athletics successful Scotland.
During his playing days, Hastings had a profession arsenic an advertizing relationship executive and later connected his personable style helped him forge a profession successful broadcasting.
He was a impermanent presenter connected nan STV mag programme The Hour, alongside nan main anchor Michelle McManus, successful 2009-10. He was a commentator for ITV astatine nan Rugby World Cup successful 2011 and successful 2014 made his debut connected nan BBC’s Question Time. Hastings was a patient protagonist of nan Better Together campaign, advocating for a “No” ballot successful nan 2014 Scottish independence referendum.
Hastings was besides a awesome kindness campaigner. He was a bully friends pinch nan Scotland fastener Doddie Weir, who died of centrifugal neurone illness successful 2022, and worked to raise money for investigation into nan disease. Hastings announced successful 2022 that he had been diagnosed pinch non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
In 1990 he joined Jenny Ovens, whom he had met erstwhile they were astatine school, and pinch whom he went connected to person 2 children, Corey and Kerry-Anne. The past 2 years of Hastings’s life were overshadowed by Jenny’s decease successful September 2024. She had gone swimming successful Wardie Bay and her assemblage was recovered successful an estuary successful Edinburgh.
As an ambassador for nan kindness Support successful Mind Scotland (now Change Mental Health) alongside Scott, she had spoken successful 2014 astir her acquisition of depression. Last twelvemonth Scott revealed that he returned each week to aquatics successful nan bay wherever Jenny had died.
Scott is survived by Corey and Kerry-Anne, and his brothers.
