Duncan Macrae (rugby union)

Duncan James Macrae (4 November 1914 – 15 May 2007) was a player for the Scotland national rugby union team playing 9 games at centre between 1937 and 1939.,[1] as well as for the British Isles team[2]

Duncan Macrae

Birth name	Duncan James Macrae
Date of birth	4 November 1914
Place of birth	Balmacara, Scotland
Date of death	15 May 2007 (aged 92)
Place of death	Gairloch, Scotland
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) - St. Andrews University () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1937 1938 North of Scotland District Scotland Probables () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1937-39 1938 Scotland British and Irish Lions 9 1 (3) (0)

Early life and career

Macrae was born in Balmacara in 1914 and attended primary school in Auchtertyre, walking several kilometres to and from school.[1] He went to boarding school at the Edinburgh Academy between 1925 and 1933 before going to the University of St Andrews to study medicine graduating in 1939.[1]

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

He also played club rugby for St Andrews University,[2] and attracted attention for his skill and sportsmanship leading to a tour with the Barbarians.

Provincial career

Macrae played for North of Scotland District combined side in their match against South of Scotland District on 20 November 1937.[3]

He was then selected for the Scotland Probables side in the trial match against Scotland Possibles. The first trial on 18 December 1937 fell foul of the weather, but Macrae turned out for Probables on 15 January 1938.[4]

International career

Macrae played his first test for Scotland against the Wales in 1937. His best season was in 1938 scoring a try against the Irish[5] The highlight of the season was a victory against the English at Twickenham securing the Triple Crown for Scotland. Macrae formed a great backline combination with Wilson Shaw and Charles Dick for Scotland.

Macrae's good form led to selection as a member of the 1938 British Lions tour to South Africa.[2] He played in 11 of the first 15 matches of the tour including the first test in Johannesburg but injury ended his tour prematurely. His rugby career was ended by World War II.[1]

Subsequent life

He enlisted in the Territorial Army of 4th/5th Seaforth Highlanders together with his brother Farquhar Macrae. In January 1940, he went to France with the 51st Highland Division serving at medical officer. Macrae was awarded a Military Cross for his part in the battle at Saint-Valery-en-Caux but was captured in June 1940 along with others in his Division. He volunteered to serve as medical officer at Stalag VIII-B , Lamsdorf, Upper Silesia.[1]

On his return to Scotland, Macrae practised as a doctor in Dingwall for 30 years before retiring to Gairloch. He married Joan Harris of Winnipeg and raised five children with her. Macrae was a keen churchgoer as well as serving as president of the Ross Sutherland Rugby Football Club and the Caberfeidh Curling Club.[1]

Macrae died in May 2007 in Gairloch.

See also

Notable Highland players are few and far between, but two notable examples are:

• Nairn McEwan
• John Bannerman

References

1. The Scotsman "Duncan Macrae obituary" 19 June 2007
2. Bath, p118
3. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19371122/361/0004
4. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19380117/066/0004
5. "Scottish Rugby Union "DUNCAN MACRAE" 1 June 2007". Archived from the original on 24 October 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2007.

Sources

1. Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ISBN 1-86200-013-1)
2. Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; ISBN 0-904919-84-6)