Roger Baird

Gavin Roger Todd Baird (born 12 April 1960 in Kelso, Scotland) is a former Scottish rugby union player, who won 27 caps playing on the wing for Scotland between 1981 and 1988. A grain merchant, he is a former team manager of Scotland U21s and is assistant coach to Kelso clubmate Gary Callander at Watsonians.

Controversies

Roger was invited as a guest speaker at the Glasgow University RFC 150th anniversary event held in Glasgow on 16 November 2019 where he made sexist remarks about some of the female rugby team players and racist remarks regarding a previous encounter with a person of Japanese origin.[1]

Roger was heckled off the stage and the GURFC has since issued an apology for inviting him to speak, reiterating that they are a club who promotes inclusivity and diversity and that the remarks do not reflect those of the University or the Rugby Society.[2]

Playing career

Baird attended St. Mary's School, Melrose and Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh. Both schools are noted for producing strong rugby players, and he went on to play scrum-half for the Scottish Schools team.[3]

He played for the full Kelso sevens team while still at Merchiston, collecting a Melrose winner’s medal at 17.[3] Bill McLaren considered him an exceptional sevens player.[4]

Within two years he was capped by Scotland B, and he won the first of 27 caps in the 24-15 win over Australia at Murrayfield Stadium in 1981, replacing Bruce Hay.[3]

A regular fixture on the left wing for Scotland, he went on the 1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand, playing in all four Tests, and scoring six tries in 11 appearances. In one of these tries in particularly wet weather, he slammed right into the billboards around the pitch.[3]

Baird also played for the South of Scotland rugby union team.[3] One odd feature of Baird's playing career was noted by Allan Massie:

"Extraordinarily he has not scored a try for Scotland, though he already holds the record number of tries for the South."[3]

Baird was very successful at District and Club level, and scored a number of times for the British Lions, including a test try against New Zealand in 1983, but never scored a try while representing Scotland.[5]

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References
  1. Catriona Stewart (19 November 2019). "Glasgow Uni rugby teams 'sorry' after 'racist and sexist' comments". Evening Times. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  2. Glasgow University Rugby Football Club, GURFC. "University of Glasgow Sport: Statement". Twitter.
  3. Allan Massie (1984). A Portrait of Scottish Rugby. Polygon, Edinburgh. p. 147. ISBN 0-904919-84-6.
  4. McLaren, Bill (1991). Talking of Rugby. Stanley Paul, London. p. 163. ISBN 0-09-173875-X.
  5. Huw Richards (20 November 2012). "The Numbers Game: The non-scoring winger". ESPN. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
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