‘Whatever jersey Scott wore, he made it better’

Current Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend and former Scotland and Lions boss Sir Ian McGeechan were among those to pay tribute to Hastings.

“Whatever jersey Scott wore, he just made it better,” mentioned McGeechan.

“My association with Scott and his brother Gavin was always special for me because we came into the Scotland set-up, myself as coach, and Scott and Gavin as players, at the same time. We came in together and we grew together.

“I remember Scott on the Lions tours taking an absolute lead. He was so single-minded and determined about winning. He was very much your right-hand man, given what he did on the field.”

Former Scotland team-mate Townsend hailed Hastings as an “iconic figure for Scottish rugby”.

“His defensive display in the 1990 Grand Slam victory over England was crucial to that day’s success and he epitomised what it meant to play for Scotland – combining passion, confidence and aggression, whenever he wore the navy blue jersey,” he mentioned.

“Scott always brought positivity and energy into everything he did from his playing career then into the past couple of decades as a widely travelled and respected commentator.

“His passing is a huge loss for Scottish rugby, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and close friends. Rest in peace, Scott.”

Kenny Logan worked closely with Hastings when their former team-mate Doddie Weir was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, with the pair helping raise money in the fight to find a cure for the illness.

Logan mentioned: “Scott was one of those guys who you could rely on to always put his hand up. His energy was incredible.

“I worked with him while he was chair of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Scott’s role wasn’t just about generating PR. He was very knowledgeable and would never hesitate to do his bit.”

From amateur rugby to Grand Slam glory

Hastings made his name in the amateur era of rugby, playing for Watsonians and Edinburgh district sides before making his Scotland debut in 1986.

He and his older brother Gavin both made their first international appearances against France that year and went on to have succesful Scotland careers.

Hastings started the 1990 Grand Slam decider and made a famous, shuddering tackle on England winger Rory Underwood as Scotland triumphed 13-7 at Murrayfield.

On the Lions tour of Australia in 1989, the centre started two of the three Test matches but was denied the chance to do the same in New Zealand four years later when his trip was cut short due to a shattered cheekbone.

When rugby union went professional in 1995, he captained Edinburgh and after retiring became a familiar face on TV for his energetic and upbeat commentary and punditry.

Hastings was also a strong advocate for mental health charities with his wife Jenny, who died after living with depression for 20 years.

Related topics

  • Scotland Rugby Union
  • Rugby Union
  • Scottish Rugby

✔ today silver rate

✔ 2026 winter olympics

✔ chat gtp

✔ silver rate today

✔ silver rate today live

✔ 2030 winter olympics

Read More

Sports

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *