David Edwards (19 March 1930 – 8 July 2006) is a former Scotland international rugby union player.

Rugby career

Amateur career

Edwards started his rugby playing while at George Heriot's School. Joining the RAF as part of his National Service he moved to Merseyside. While there he played for Birkenhead Park FC. Upon his return to Edinburgh he joined his school's "Former Pupils" team of Heriot's. Edwards played his career here, later becoming captain and then president in the years to follow.

Iain Milne Iain Milne (born 17 June 1956 in Edinburgh, Scotland) is a former Scotland international rugby union player and British & Irish Lion.Bath, p149 Rugby Union career Amateur career Educated at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh, he played prop ...

described Edwards as an "uncompromising back row"

Rugby sevens

Edwards was a fast, hard running player and enjoyed an illustrious sevens career with Heriot's. Winning: * Langholm Sevens (1954) * Melrose Sevens (1954,1957,1958) * Hawick Sevens (1954) *

Jed-Forest Sevens Jed-Forest Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Jed-Forest RFC, in Jedburgh, Scotland. The Jed-Forest Sevens was the fourth of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated, in 1894, after the Melrose Sevens (1883), Gala Sevens (1884) ...

(1955,1958) *

Peebles Sevens Peebles Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Peebles RFC, in Peebles, Scotland. This was one of a group of Sevens tournaments instated after the First World War extending the original Borders Spring Circuit. The Peebles Sevens began i ...

(1953,1958) *

Walkerburn Sevens Walkerburn Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Walkerburn RFC, in Walkerburn, Scotland. The Walkerburn Sevens was the sixth of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated, in 1911, after the bigger events of the Border Sevens sprin ...

(1953,1954) * Murrayfield Sevens (1954,1955,1956,1958)

Provincial career

Whilst with Heriot's he played for Edinburgh District. He played in the

1955–56 Scottish Inter-District Championship The 1955–56 Scottish Inter-District Championship was a rugby union competition for Scotland's district teams. This season saw the third formal Scottish Inter-District Championship The Scottish Inter-District Championship is a rugby union ...

season that was decided in the final game versus Glasgow District It would be four years until Edwards would be selected to play for Edinburgh District again in the 1959-60 season. This time his performances on the pitch would lead to a selection in the Scotland team. On 16 November 1960 a combined Glasgow-Edinburgh District side faced the touring South Africa squad. Edwards captained the side losing 16-11, in the process he got badly injured but came back on. In the days that followed the injuries forced him to retire at the age of 30.

International career

After Edwards's performances in the

1959–60 Scottish Inter-District Championship The 1959–60 Scottish Inter-District Championship was a rugby union competition for Scotland's district teams. This season saw the seventh formal Scottish Inter-District Championship. South, North and Midlands North and Midlands - and now k ...

he was selected to "lead the pack" against Ireland only a matter of 3 weeks before his 30th birthday. The match ended in a 6-5 victory to Scotland with Edwards scoring an unconverted try and 5 minutes later

Ken Scotland Kenneth James Forbes Scotland (29 August 1936 – 7 January 2023) was a Scotland international rugby union player and a Scotland international cricket player. He played at full-back in rugby union.Bath, p157 Rugby Union career Amateur career ...

landing a "neat drop goal". This was

Scotland's Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

first victory in Ireland for 27 years. On Edwards 30th Birthday he played England in what would be a 21-12 defeat. In the April of 1960 Scotland went on the first visit to the Southern Hemisphere by a single home nation and the first short tour by any Test team by going to South Africa. Edwards third and final cap came in this test game which they lost 18-10. Four days later Edwards scored a try versus Griqualand West now known as the

Griquas The Griquas (; af, Griekwa, often confused with ''!Orana'', which is written as ''Korana'' or ''Koranna'') are a subgroup of heterogeneous former Khoe-speaking nations in Southern Africa with a unique origin in the early history of the Cap ...

in Kimberley.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, David 1930 births 2006 deaths Scottish rugby union players Rugby union players from Edinburgh Rugby union flankers Scotland international rugby union players