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Ian Smith (rugby union, born 1944)

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Ian Smith
Full nameIan Sidney Gibson Smith
Date of birth (1944-06-16) 16 June 1944 (age 80)
Place of birthDundee, Scotland
SchoolGeorge Heriot's School
UniversityUniversity of Edinburgh
Occupation(s)Dentist
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1969–71 Scotland 8 (14)
1972 Hong Kong

Ian Sidney Gibson Smith (born 16 June 1944) is a Scottish former international rugby union player.[1]

Biography

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Born in Dundee, Smith was raised in Morningside, Edinburgh, and attended George Heriot's School. He would practise his kicking as a schoolboy with George Watson's College pupil Ian Robertson, later a Scotland teammate. A University of Edinburgh dentistry graduate, Smith competed in the varsity first XV and also played rugby in the services. He was a captain in the Royal Army Dental Corps, at one point stationed in Germany.[2]

Smith, a fullback, gained his first Scotland call up out of the London Scottish thirds, having come to the attention of selectors playing for Combined Services.[3] On debut at Murrayfield in 1969, Smith scored all of his team's points in a 6–3 win over the Springboks, including the match-winning try with five minutes remaining, set up by childhood friend Robertson.[4] He played in Scotland's 1970 Calcutta Cup win over England and finished his two years in the team with eight caps.[5] In 1972, Smith turned out at the Asian Championships with Hong Kong, where he had been posted.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Palmer, Mark (5 October 2019). "Ian Smith: Rise and fall of a most unlikely full-back". The Times.
  2. ^ "Interview: Ian Smith, Scotland's 'cherubic' full-back, on defeating the Springboks amid apartheid protests". The Scotsman. 5 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Murrayfield Special". Daily Record. 6 December 1969.
  4. ^ "Ian Smith sinks the Springboks". Sunday Sun. 7 December 1969.
  5. ^ "Ian Smith – a review of the former Scotland player's autobiography". Rugby World. 7 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Ah, So ." Daily Mirror. 1 November 1972.
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