Ninian Finlay

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Ninian Finlay
Birth nameNinian Jamieson Finlay
Date of birth(1858-01-31)31 January 1858
Place of birth Newhaven, Edinburgh, Scotland
Date of death7 March 1936(1936-03-07) (aged 78)
Place of death Edinburgh, Scotland
Rugby union career
Position(s) Half back
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
Edinburgh Academicals ()
– Edinburgh University RFC ()
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1875 Edinburgh District ()
1876 East of Scotland District ()
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1875-81 Scotland 9 (0)

Ninian Jamieson Finlay (31 January 1858 – 7 March 1936 [1] ) was an international rugby player for Scotland. [2] He played nine caps for Scotland between 1875 – 1881. [2] He is generally considered to be the youngest player ever to play for Scotland. He was seventeen years and thirty six days old when he played his first cap against England on 8 March 1875. [3] He eagerly competes for this record against Charles Reid, who was the same age when he played his first cap. Reid, however, was a day older because of an extra leap year day when he capped in 1881. [3]

Contents

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Finlay was attending Edinburgh Academy when he played his first cap for Scotland. [3]

"Ninian was still a schoolboy, but was such an incredibly powerful runner and sublime drop-kicker that he became the first real superstar of Scottish rugby." [4]

He later played for Edinburgh Academicals [2] and Edinburgh University RFC. [1]

Provincial career

Finlay played for Edinburgh District. [5]

He played for East of Scotland District in 1876. [6]

International career

The first historian of Scottish rugby, R.J. Phillips, said of Ninian Finlay: "There was never such glamour and reputation attached to any Scottish player till A.R. Don Wauchope reached the zenith of his powers." [7]

Law career

In later life he was a Writer to the Signet. [1]

Family

Ninian was the brother of James Finlay, who played four caps for Scotland (1871–75), Arthur Finlay, who received a single cap (1875) [2] and Robert Finlay, 1st Viscount Finlay.

All three brothers played in the 1875 0-0 draw against England at Raeburn Place, with James drawing his last cap and Arthur and Ninian drawing their first. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Godwin, p147
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bath, p136
  3. 1 2 3 Bath, p65
  4. 1 2 Bath, p52
  5. ↑ "The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search".
  6. ↑ "Register" . Retrieved 23 September 2023– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ↑ Massie, p9
Sources
  1. Bath, Richard (ed.) The Scotland Rugby Miscellany (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 ISBN   1-905326-24-6)
  2. Godwin, Terry Complete Who's Who of International Rugby (Cassell, 1987, ISBN   0-7137-1838-2)
  3. Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; ISBN   0-904919-84-6)


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