Davie Rose
Scot whose multiple tries helped Britain win 1954 Rugby League World Cup
Davie Rose, rugby player. Born: February 20 1931 in Jedburgh. Died: January 31 2021 in Jedburgh, aged 89
Davie Rose, who has died shortly before his 90th birthday, was an outstanding rugby player, a dual internationalist in both Union and League codes, for Scotland and Great Britain respectively, in addition to being a Barbarian. The highpoint of his League career was as a member of the British team which won the inaugural Rugby League World Cup in Paris in 1954 when Davie scored a try in every match. As a Union player for Jedforest he made his international debut against France in 1951 aged 19 and won another six caps before joining Huddersfield to play Rugby League as a professional.
Rose was an exciting player, a powerful fast winger with an effective swerve who was difficult to stop and knew how to find the try line. It was cruel luck that a broken leg required him to give up the game on medical advice as he reached his peak aged 26, with surely more success to follow.
His sporting genes no doubt derived from his father, who in 1924 won the Powderhall New Year Sprint, running as “F. Best, Jarrow”. In conversation recently I suggested he must have inherited his father’s speed, to which Davie responded, typically humorously: ”Aye, I could pull the choke out!” At the time of his death he was Jedforest’s oldest surviving captain, having held that honour in season 1952/3.
David Macmurray Rose was born in Back Bongate, Jedburgh, to parents Fred and Nellie nee Macdonald, the elder brother of Eric, Walter and Helen. Father Fred became fitness trainer to Oldham Rugby League Club and Leicester City F.C. but when war broke out in 1939 the family returned to Jedburgh where Davie continued his education at the local primary school before attending Jedburgh Grammar School where he was sports champion and showed considerable rugby potential.
Aged 15 he played a few times for Jedforest 2nd XV before establishing himself in the local semi junior team, Jed Thistle, whom he captained aged 17 to success in the Borders Championship after
an undefeated season, later becoming the first internationalist to have represented the club.
By now he was firmly on the radar of the town’s senior team, Jedforest, for whom he would make his debut, still aged 17, against Tynedale in season 1948/9 and thereafter became a fixture in the side.
While undertaking National Service with the R.A.F., whom he represented twice, he earned his first cap for Scotland against France on January 13 1951 in Paris, marking his debut with two tries. One report stated, “Glorious bursts by D.M. Rose… produced two unconverted tries… putting his head back he went all out for the line and no Frenchman could lay a hand on him.” Paris seemed a happy hunting ground as he also scored in 1953 against the hosts, as in 1954 in the World Cup final.
After another six internationals, his last against Wales in February 1953, he decided to switch to League, signing in September for Huddersfield, for whom he would play 41 times before transferring to Leeds a year later.
His Leeds debut came against St Helens in October 1954, shortly before he was selected for Great Britain for the World Cup.
Initially a reserve as understudy to the iconic Billy Boston, he was delighted to be given the opportunity to join the team when Boston withdrew late on. At home for a break in Jedburgh, police appeared at his door to inform him he was now in the side and to head south immediately. After an overnight train journey he joined the party for the coach trip to France. They were reckoned to be complete outsiders in the competition with no chance of success. But, galvanised by captain Dave Valentine from Hawick, they overcame the odds to qualify for the final, where they beat favourites France 16-12, Rose notching a cleverly taken opening try.
On his first game back for Leeds he broke his leg, writing off the rest of the season, and although he managed some games the next season, he had to retire on medical grounds, a considerable blow aged 26.
In 1957 he married local girl Doreen Fairbairn in Crailing Kirk, near Jedburgh, and the couple went on to enjoy 63 years of happy marriage, during which they had three children, Aileen, Diane and Neil. They lived in Yorkshire, where Davie worked in the textile industry, before returning to Jedburgh area in 1974, when
he began working for a Kelso Concrete Products company, as manager and then Director.
He became a regular supporter of Jedforest and was a popular figure at Riverside, where he was always welcome. Some contemporaries who switched to League experienced lukewarm recognition or worse at their old clubs but that was not his experence.
Proud of his “Jedart” roots, he was a one-time trombonist in the Jedforest Instrumental Band and gifted storyteller with an excellent sense of humour, well attuned to Borders rivalries. Modest about his part in the 1954 success but lauding that played by friend and captain Dave Valentine, he would remark good humouredly, ”Well, I couldn’t let a Hawick man be the only Scot in the team”.
A great family man, he was very pleased to see grandson Andrew Nagle lift the winner’s cup at Jedforest ‘7’s’ in 2014 representing Melrose. Another enthusiasm was golf, which he enjoyed playing with friends at Jedburgh and Goswick, managing to continue till 2020. A delightful gent, he enjoyed a long life well lived and is survived by his wife, children, seven grandchildren and a great grandchild.
New legislation on the relinquishment and assignation of farm tenancies comes into effect this week in Scotland with the aim of giving tenant farmers the opportunity to realise some of the value of their tenancies and retire with a capital payment.
However specialists involved in the sector have advised those wishing to take advantage of the new rules to adopt a cautious approach – and investigate the possibilities of reaching an agreement with their landlord before taking the formal legislative route.
And despite a belief that there has been a backlog of tenants awaiting the enactment which would gives the tenant the right to offer the tenancy back to their landlord for a sum to be agreed by an officially appointed valuer, or failing that to ‘sell ‘ it onto a new entrant or a ‘progressing’ farmer, the actual number likely to take advantage of the changes to Scottish law which were first proposed in the 2016 Land Reform (Scotland) Act remains uncertain.
However, south of the border, a survey carried out by the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) found
that there was considerable interest amongst English tenant farmers in the UK Government’s proposals to offer a Lump Sum Payment Exit scheme which would allow tenants to retire with a payment based on their previous support payments.
The Lump Sum Scheme is one of a suite of schemes being introduced by Defra as part of the post Brexit Agricultural Transition Plan.
The scheme would allow farmers to receive a lump sum payment in place of the direct payments that they would have been entitled to receive during the remainder of the agricultural transition (20212027) through the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).
Lynette Steel of the English TFA said: “The survey captured the opinions of 360 tenant farmers. Three-quarters of those responding said they were seriously interested in the proposed scheme, demonstrating a strong appetite for the scheme amongst tenant farmers.”
She added
that
along with proposals for new entrants, the exit scheme could results in a marked increase in land mobility south of the border.
“This would not only allow new entrants into the industry but would provide more opportunities for those looking to progress within the industry onto bigger and better units,” said Steel.
The TFA survey found that half of those interested in the scheme rented their land on traditional, Agricultural Holdings Act tenancies with security of tenure.
“Not surprisingly, over three quarters of respondents said the value of the retirement package would be the biggest factor they would need to consider before taking part in the scheme,” said Steel.
Other key factors were readiness to retire and whether succession rights would be affected by participating: “On a practical level, negotiating exits from farm tenancies is often a lengthy and complicated process. Therefore, given the short time frame DEFRA has outlined for the delivery of the scheme, we really need to see full scheme details by this autumn at the latest,” concluded Steel.
Morrisons has snapped up a Cornish seafood supplier as the UK supermarket reaffirmed its commitment to fresh fish counters while rivals strip them out of stores.
Morrisons has snapped up a Cornish seafood supplier as the UK supermarket reaffirmed its commitment to fresh fish counters while rivals strip them out of stores.
The Bradford-based retailer confirmed it has acquired Falfish, which has supplied Morrisons for 16 years, for an undisclosed sum. It claimed
that the move means it has become the first UK supermarket to own its own fishing boat. The deal is the latest move by Morrisons to own parts of its supply chain, with more than 80% of its fish and shellfish now due to come through its wholly-owned supply chain. Falfish, which operates from Redruth and Falmouth docks, secured 50% of its annual £40m turnover from Morrisons. Morrisons said the move will reinforce its commitment for sustainable seafood and fish.