Sandy was a Scotland great who had heart of a LION
LEGEND CARMICHAEL DIES AT THE AGE OF 77
SCOTLAND rugby legend Alexander ‘Sandy’ Carmichael MBE has died at the age of 77. The prop won 50 caps for his country, toured with the Lions in 1971, and played out an illustrious club career at West of Scotland.
A world-class front-row player, and one of the bravest men to grace the game, he would have been a major part of the British and Irish Lions 1971 Test side against New Zealand if he had not been a victim of one of the most notorious incidents in rugby history.
He was punched so hard at a first half line-out in a provincial game against Canterbury that he received five fractures to his left cheekbone. In a separate incident late in the game, he was booted so hard in the eyes he could hardly see out of them.
The match that resulted in a 14-3 win for the Lions was described as ‘a war’ by his team-mates with Carmichael, who had to be taken to hospital with ice packs on his face, the main victim.
It was a huge blow to Carmichael and the Lions that he was injured and ruled out of the rest of the tour as he was set to start in the first Test against New Zealand, which was just a week away.
In the days before television cameras showed every incident in close-up, the identity of the Canterbury player who punched him so brutally was never ascertained and he escaped punishment.
For his part, Carmichael was such a team player that he didn’t retaliate at the time as he was worried the referee might see him doing it and would send him off, leaving his side a man down.
The Scotland front row player never revealed the identity of the player who punched him in the face, explaining his reasons in the book Behind The Lions.
‘I’ve never named names over that and I never will. The reason is that if I tell, then the story ends,’ he said. ‘I don’t want them ever to forget and if I leave it this way then they can’t forget.’
Although he never revealed who his assailant was, his Lions teammate Fergus Slattery later said it was Canterbury prop Alister Hopkinson — who died in 1999.
Carmichael could hold his own in legal physical encounters during matches and, although that game was a disgrace to rugby, he also had to look after himself in Argentina two years previously when punches being thrown was a regular thing.
He also recalled some bruising encounters against the French forwards of that era such as JeanPierre Bastiat, whose trick was trying to head-butt Carmichael when the scrum went down.
He wasn’t one of those players who bemoaned that the game had changed for the worse and felt getting rid of the violence that marred his era had helped the sport grow and become safer.
Carmichael’s ability to get round the park, as well as playing either side of the scrum, means he should be remembered as one of Scotland’s greatest front row players ever.
He made his Scotland debut against Ireland in 1967 and really came to prominence two years later with two try-saving tackles in the 6-3 win over France in Paris. His last international was against Ireland in 1978.
His bravery on the pitch left its mark and he had the first of six hip operations at the age of just 42 and in later years had to get about with the aid of crutches, then a buggy. He made great friends through rugby, including his ex-Scotland and Lions front row team-mate Ian McLauchlan. Others include Scotland second row Alistair McHarg and England’s David Duckham, who he described as ‘a gentleman’ after they roomed together on the 1971 Lions tour to New Zealand. He was awarded an MBE in the 1977 Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours.
In an emotional Twitter post ex-Scotland and British Lions forward John Beattie said: ‘Terrible news that Scotland and Lions legend Sandy Carmichael has died. I’ll never forget playing with and against him and idolising him and his team-mates. ‘I was a skinny 18-year-old playing for Glasgow Accies against West of Scotland. I turned up, saw the team-sheet, Sandy Carmichael in the opposition. A time when Scotland players played club rugby. The truth: it just felt an honour.
‘A little way into the game he came running with the ball straight at me ... honestly I tried. But failed. I’m feeling quite emotional here because just to do that, just to try and tackle Sandy Carmichael was enough to make my life blessed at the time.’
An SRU statement following his death yesterday read: ‘Scottish Rugby is saddened to hear former internationalist and Lions official player Sandy Carmichael MBE has died earlier today. He was a giant of the game in Scotland and our thoughts and condolences go to his friends and family.’
His West of Scotland club issued a statement which read: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of Sandy Carmichael today surrounded by his beloved family. As a player, coach, Honorary President and most importantly, as a much loved and irrepressible character ‘Big Sandy’ will be greatly missed by us all. Our thoughts and condolences are with Alison, Trevor, Melanie and the rest of the family at this time.’