Jock Davidson

Died: January 22, 2016

JOHN "Jock" Davidson, who has died aged 83, led a long and full life – which just happened to include playing three internationals at number eight for Scotland.

He was born on the Black Isle, in Avoch, but his family moved to St Monace when he was a baby and he was, to all intents and purposes, a Fifer. He attended Waid Academy in Anstruther and remains their only former pupil to have played international rugby for Scotland.

He first hit the sporting headlines in December, 1957, when he played in both Scotland trials. He was in the Whites or junior side for the first of these, and in the Rest of Scotland XV in the second, in which he converted two second-half tries, with his left foot, which was commented on at the time.

However, when named in the North of Scotland (basically players from the North and Midlands Districts), who faced the touring Australians, at Linksfield, Aberdeen, on February 11, 1958, just two months later, he was listed as playing for junior club Waid Academy FP, although, in reality, at the time he was living and working in London and playing his club rugby for London Scottish.

The match, which the tourists won 6-3 (two penalties to one) was ruined as a spectacle by a high wind, but Davidson was praised for his performance. He then dropped out of the Scotland reckoning, before being surprisingly called up for his first cap, just four days before the Calcutta Cup game, at Twickenham, on March 21, 1959, after one of the original selections dropped out. He was one of two Fifers to make his debut that day, the other being the redoubtable prop David Rollo of Howe of Fife.

The match finished in a 3-3 draw, Ken Scotland and England's Bev Risman each goaling a first half penalty in a game which failed to catch fire.

He was left out of the Scotland team which opened the 1960 Five Nations with losses to France at Murrayfield and Wales in Cardiff, being recalled as one of six changes for the trip to Lansdowne Road, where he played his part in Scotland's first win in Dublin for 27 years.

The Herald's rugby correspondent, in his match report, praised the "sustained fury of the Scottish forwards, with JA Davidson and pack leader DB Edwards to the fore", as, on the back of a Ronnie Thomson try and a drop goal from Ken Scotland, the Scots won 6-5.

By this time, Davidson was back living in Fife, and playing his club rugby at Murrayfield for Edinburgh Wanderers. He retained his place for the final game of the Five Nations that year, the Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield.

This proved to be Jock Davidson's last international, contemporary reports telling of a spectacular match. Scotland trailed 16-6 at half time, but, after Ken Scotland kicked a penalty to make it 16-9, England were rocking.

Then came the match's turning point when the unfortunate Davidson was sent clear just 15 metres from the English line and about to score a seemingly certain try between the posts; however, he dropped the ball. The chance was lost, England regrouped and held on to win 21-12.

Scotland went off on rugby's first short tour, to South Africa, at the end of that season and, Ken Scotland having previously indicated his non-availability, Davidson was the only one of the losing XV against England not to be selected for the tour. Given the unforgiving nature of the SRU selectors back then, we might assume that dropped ball ended his international career.

During his national service with the RAF, he had played in Hong Kong and, when his work as an engineer took him to France, he played for Chalonnais, where he forged a life-long friendship with 43-times capped French full back Michel Vannier.

He also played for Racing Club de France in Paris, the club which is today better known as Racing 92, before returning to Fife, where he was, up until his death, a staunch supporter of Waid Academy FP.

He is survived by his wife Jacqueline, son Jacques-Paul, his wife and two grand-children Kyla and Matt, who live in France; and by his sister Marjory.

MATT VALLANCE