Birth name | Gavin Fraser | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 23 February 1972 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Liverpool, Merseyside, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 185 kg (29 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Merchant Taylors' Boys' School, Crosby | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | University of Lincoln | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Gavin Fraser (born 23 February 1972 in Liverpool, England) is an English-born, former Scotland Under 21 international, Scottish rugby union player who played for Glasgow Warriors at the Wing positions. [1]
Gavin Fraser was Scottish-Qualified as his father, Gordon, was born in Scotland. Gordon Fraser moved to England in the 1960s settling in Corby, Northamptonshire, a town dubbed 'Little Scotland' due to the number of Scots that settled there. Gavin went to Merchant Taylors' Boys' School, Crosby and then, later, the University of Lincoln.
In 1990-91 season he played for Hull Ionians, [2] but quickly moved to another amateur club Waterloo. [3]
Fraser was selected to play for the Scottish Exiles Under 21 amateur district team in 1992 in the Under 21 Scottish Inter-District Championship. [3] He later played for the full Scottish Exiles side, and won the Exiles first Championship in 1995. [2]
He represented Scotland at Under 21 grade [4] but never reached a full Senior cap [5] though later made a Scotland Development XV side. [2]
Moving from Waterloo, Fraser naturally signed for London Scottish. This move only was to last for one season before he moved on to another 'Exile' club.
He played for London Irish for one season: 1996-97 [6] but moved from there to join Glasgow Warriors.
Fraser began his Glasgow career by playing in the pre-season friendly match against the Australian Super Rugby side Brumbies. Glasgow lost the match 6 - 22 and were unable to prevent the Australians' clean sweep against Scotland's district sides. [7]
He played for Glasgow in the 1997-98 Heineken Cup. He came off the bench in Glasgow's away match to Swansea RFC. [8] Similarly he came off the bench in Glasgow's away match to Leicester Tigers. [9]
He also played for Glasgow in the 1997–98 Scottish Inter-District Championship; against Edinburgh Rugby on 19 October 1997, coming on for Craig Sangster at Full Back; [10] and against Border Reivers on 24 October 1997, coming on for James Craig. [11]
Whilst at the professional Glasgow club, Fraser was also able to play for an amateur club in Glasgow's district when not on Warriors duty. Fraser was assigned to Kilmarnock RFC. [2] At the end of the season he was diagnosed with a prolapsed disc and his Glasgow contract had expired. Due to the SRU's cost exercise of the merger of Scotland's 4 district clubs into 2, 43 professional players including 6 Scotland internationalists lost their club - Fraser's contract was not renewed. [12] However he was free to move outwith Glasgow's district and after treatment signed with another amateur club Watsonians. He played for the Edinburgh club from 1998-2000. [2]
Gavin stayed in Glasgow till 2005 when he moved back to Northamptonshire. He played rugby in friendly matches and represented 'Scottish Legend' sides. [2]
In 2008, Fraser played for the Nottingham Panthers Legends team. [13]
In 2020 Gav is due to represent team G&T in the annual merseytri team swim run where along with his dashing team mate he is considered a favourite.
Border Reivers, originally known as "Scottish Borders Rugby", and also known as The Borders, were one of four professional rugby union teams in Scotland, alongside Edinburgh, Caledonia Reds and Glasgow Warriors.
Glasgow Warriors are a professional rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the United Rugby Championship league and in the European Professional Club Rugby tournaments. In the 2014–15 season they won the Pro12 title and became the first Scottish team to win a major trophy in rugby union's professional era. In 2023-24 they became the first Scottish side to win the United Rugby Championship in its current form. The side is known for its fast, dynamic and attacking style of play, using offloads and quick rucks. Defensively the club prides itself on its 'Fortress Scotstoun' where the club play at home.
Rugby union in Scotland is a popular team sport. Scotland's national side today competes in the annual Six Nations Championship and the Rugby World Cup. The first ever international rugby match was played on 27 March 1871, at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh, when Scotland defeated England in front of 4,000 people. Professional clubs compete in the United Rugby Championship, European Rugby Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup, while the Scottish League Championship exists for over 200 amateur and semi-professional clubs, as does a knock-out competition, the Scottish Cup. The governing body, the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), is one of the ten first-tier member nations of World Rugby.
Glasgow District is a Scottish amateur rugby union team which plays in the amateur Scottish Inter-District Championship. The side evolved into the professional provincial side Glasgow Warriors when the Scottish Rugby Union embraced professionalism. However the amateur district is still used for the representation of amateur players in the Inter-District Championship; and this amateur championship guides the selection of Scotland Club XV international players.
The 1996–97 season was the first in the history of the Glasgow Warriors as a professional side. The Warriors rugby union provincial side was created by turning the amateur provincial side Glasgow District into a professional outfit. During this season, the newly professional side competed as Glasgow Rugby.
The Scottish Inter-District Championship is a rugby union competition between regional sides in Scotland. Established in 1953, the tournament went through several formats.
The 1998–99 season is the third in the history of the Glasgow Warriors as a professional side. During this season the young professional side competed as Glasgow Caledonians.
George Breckenridge is a former Scottish rugby union player and now coach. He played for the amateur Glasgow District side before playing for the professional Glasgow side, now Glasgow Warriors.
Cameron Little is a former Scottish rugby union player and now coach. A Scotland Sevens internationalist, he played for the amateur Glasgow District side and after professionalism played for Glasgow Rugby, now named the Glasgow Warriors.
Charles Afuakwah is a Ghanaian-born Scottish former rugby union player who played for Glasgow Rugby, now Glasgow Warriors at the Lock position.
Malcolm Norval is a Scottish former rugby union player who played for Glasgow Rugby, now Glasgow Warriors at the Lock position.
Craig Sangster, is a Scottish former rugby union player for Glasgow Warriors at the Full Back or Centre position. Rarely he filled in at Fly-half.
Martin Waite is a Scottish former Scotland A international rugby union player who played for Glasgow Warriors and Caledonia Reds at the Flanker position.
Chris Simmers is a Scottish former rugby union player. He played professionally for Glasgow Warriors and at amateur level for Glasgow Hawks normally playing at the Centre position.
The Welsh–Scottish League was a rugby union league in Scotland and Wales jointly implemented by the Scottish Rugby Union and the Welsh Rugby Union from the 1999–2000 season onwards. It was a precursor to the Celtic League and lasted three seasons, being disbanded after the Celtic League was set up.
Luke Smith was a professional rugby union player. He played at fly-half for Glasgow Caledonians, now Glasgow Warriors; as well as Racing 92 and Saracens among others.
Alan Kittle is a Scottish former rugby union player for Glasgow Warriors. He played at the Loosehead Prop position.
Aaron Collins is a New Zealand rugby union player and now coach. He normally played at the Centre position; and previously played for Glasgow Warriors and Glasgow Academicals and West of Scotland.
Iain Sinclair is a Scottish former Scotland A international rugby union player who played for Glasgow Warriors at the Flanker position. A product of Scottish Schools U16 and U18, Sinclair went on to captain both Glasgow and Scotland at U18, U19 and U21 age group levels.
Chris Docherty is a Scottish former rugby union player who played for Glasgow Warriors at the Hooker position.