Hamish Dawson (rugby union)

Hamish Dawson

Full name	James Cooper Dawson
Date of birth	29 October 1925
Date of death	19 October 2007
School	Glasgow Academy Strathallan School
University	Queens College, Oxford
Occupation(s)	chartered accountant
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Lock/Prop
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
	Oxford University RFC Glasgow Academicals RFC London Scottish FC Barbarian FC
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1947-1953	Scotland	20	(3)

James 'Hamish' Cooper Dawson (29 October 1925 – 19 October 2007) was a rugby union international who represented Scotland from 1947 to 1953 gaining 20 caps.^[1]

Early life

Dawson was educated at Glasgow Academy, Strathallan School in Perthshire and Queens College, Oxford.^[2] He was a talented all-round sportsman, particularly swimming, cricket and rugby.^[2] Dawson received a blue for Oxford University RFC, playing against Cambridge University RFC in the 1943-44 season.^[3]

In 1943 he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, initially serving as a midshipman based at HMS King Alfred and then transferring to HMS Ulysses (R69) in the British Pacific Fleet.^[3][4] Dawson then served as a sub-lieutenant on a minesweeper in Hong Kong until December 1946.^[3] After the war, he qualified as a chartered accountant in 1948 and played club rugby for Glasgow Academicals RFC, London Scottish FC and the Barbarians FC.^[2]

International career

Dawson made his debut for Scotland in a 16-7 loss to Australia at Murrayfield during their 1947-48 tour of Great Britain, one of eight new Scotland caps that day.^[2] His first three caps were played at lock, which included a 9-8 victory over France at Murrayfield and a 14-0 loss to Wales in Cardiff in the 1948 Five Nations Championship.^[1]

Dawson's next seventeen caps were played at prop starting with an 8-0 victory over France in the 1949 Five Nations Championship in Paris.^[1] This was followed by a 6-5 win over Wales at Murrayfield and a 13-3 defeat to Ireland at the same venue.^[1] He played all four matches in the 1950 Five Nations Championship, starting with a third consecutive victory over France, 8-5 in Edinburgh.^[1] Scotland lost 12-0 to Wales and 21-0 to Ireland in Cardiff and Dublin respectively.^[1] Regaining some pride with a 13-11 win against England at Murrayfield.^[1]

In 1951 Dawson played on five occasions for Scotland, starting with a 14-12 loss to France in Paris. On 3 February, he scored his only points for Scotland with a try in a 19-0 win against Wales at Murrayfield.^[1] Three weeks later Scotland lost narrowly to Ireland, 6-5 in Edinburgh, starting a run of 17 consecutive matches without a win, lasting until 1955.^[1][5] Dawson also played in the 5-3 defeat to England at Twickenham; Scotland avoiding the 1951 Five Nations Championship wooden spoon on points difference.^[1] Later that year Scotland suffered a record 44-0 loss to South Africa at Murrayfield, with South Africa losing only once on their 31-game 1951-52 rugby tour.^[1]

Dawson played in all four matches of the 1952 Five Nations Championship.^[1] Scotland losing all four matches: 13-11 to France in Edinburgh, 11-0 to Wales in Cardiff, 12-8 to Ireland in Dublin and 19-3 to England at Murrayfield.^[1] Dawson played his last match for Scotland against England at Twickenham in a 26-8 loss in the 1953 Five Nations Championship, Scotland receiving the 'wooden spoon' for the second consecutive year.^[4]

References