Dougie Morgan 1947-2020

by John Preece

Former Scotland scrum half, captain and head coach, Dougie Morgan, died recently at the age of 73, after a long period of illness.

Morgan played for the national side between 1973 and 1978, gaining 21 caps, and also played two Test matches for the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand.

A former pupil of Melville College, Morgan continued to play club rugby for Stewart's-Melville, helping them to gain, among many other achievements, a victory in the 1982 Middlesex Sevens.

One of his former team-mates, Sir Ian McGeechan, who played and coached with Morgan over 40 years, said: “Dougie was a team-mate who became a very good friend during an association with Scottish rugby which covered four decades.

“He was hugely competitive and a talented sportsman - he put up with me on the golf course, an experience which showed his patience and calmness, attributes which made him a perfect manager in later years.

“Dougie had a deep understanding of the game and was tactically very aware. I will never forget him standing on Gareth Edwards’ foot to distract him whilst trying to put the ball into the scrum, an approach which stopped Wales playing and we ultimately won the game. He was also a natural goal kicker.”

Andy Irvine, OBE, former president of the Scottish Rugby Union, explained that he knew Dougie Morgan well, and was one of the crowd who lined the road outside the Royal Burgess Golf Club as the funeral cortège passed by. Of course, only family members were allowed to attend the funeral.

Irvine said: "Dougie got his first cap when I got my second and then we continued to play together for five years.

"We both played first of all for Edinburgh, and then Scotland. We went on the Scottish tour in New Zealand together, before going back there with the Lions.

"Dougie was an incredible competitor, very brave. His hallmark was that he wasn't the biggest scrum half in the world, but he had the reputation of being very, very brave. He was a very good ballplayer, and a great kicker.

"He scored a lot of points for Scotland with goal kicks and drop goals.

"He was a very good sportsman and, in addition to rugby he was twelfth man for the Scotland cricket team. He was a schoolboys' golf internationalist as well.

"He was a very popular guy, and of course after he retired he became Scottish coach as well. He had a fantastic sporting career."

He is survived by wife Doreen and his family.