Gregor Townsend

Gregor Peter John Townsend MBE (born 26th April 1973 in Galashiels) is a Scottish rugby union player and coach at The Borders Rugby Club, he has played at fly-half, full back and latterly centre. He has represented both Scotland and the British and Irish Lions winning 82 caps for Scotland and two for the Lions. A world-class player, though not without flaws. Often described as mercurial, his play was touched by genius on a good day and dreadful on a bad one. Observers say that he needs strong and thoughtful support to flourish.

Playing career

Townsend was first with Gala RFC, coming through from their ranks from the mini section. He won his first full cap for Scotland in March 1993, as substitute for Craig Chalmers in the Five Nations match against England at Twickenham. In 1995 Gregor joined Northampton Saints and joined the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa. He left Northampton Saints in 1998 and joined the French club, Brive. In 2000 he moved to Castres and then returned to Scotland to play with The Borders. Townsend represented Scotland at the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup, but afterwards was most controversially deemed surplus to requirements by Scotland coach Matt Williams at just thirty years old. (The new Scottish coach Frank Hadden has decided to return Townsend to the national squad.) In 2004, free to travel the world after being relieved of Scotland duties, he represented the Natal Sharks in the then Super 12 and played the 2004-05 season with Montpellier in France. He returned to the Borders for the 2005-06 season as a player and coach. Gregor scored a try in every game in the last ever Five Nations Championship in 1999.

Toonie flip

This is the name of the magical reverse pass which Gregor gave to Gavin Hastings for Scotland to register a dramatic and famous last-minute 23-21 victory against France in Paris in 1995.

Views

Townsend strongly supports the continued existence of The Borders rugby team, despite financial problems. As he told The Scotsman newspaper: "In my mind, a third team in Scotland is absolutely priceless because we need as many players exposed to professional rugby week in, week out as we can get." (From a report dated January 3, 2005)

See also

• Chris Paterson, also a former pupil of Galashiels Academy

External links

• Townsend sets date for retirement, BBC, June 2, 2006
• Townsend launches kids' summer camps, The Scotsman, June 28, 2006
• Gregor Townsend in the Scotsman newspaper
• Gregor Townsend's Sporting Heroes Profile)
• Townsend admits Test career is over, The Scotsman, May 2, 2006
• Townsend part Gregor groan, part Merlin (Telegraph, March 9, 2003)