Willie Anderson (rugby union, born 1967)

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Willie Anderson
Birth nameWilliam Anderson
Date of birth (1967-09-17) 17 September 1967 (age 57)
Place of birth Kirkcaldy, Scotland
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight114 kg (17 st 13 lb; 251 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Tighthead Prop
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1986–2001 Kirkcaldy 136 (14)
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1996–1998 Caledonia Reds ()
1998–2001 Glasgow Warriors 20 (0)
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
North and Midlands ()
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
Scotland A 11
1998 Scotland 1

Willie Anderson (born 17 September 1967) is a former Scotland international rugby union player for Glasgow Warriors, who played at the Tighthead Prop position.

Contents

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Anderson started playing at amateur club Kirkcaldy RFC.

Professional career

When professionalism was introduced in Scotland, Anderson joined the Caledonia Reds side. [1] No fewer than 9 Kirkcaldy players played in the Caledonia Reds team in the Heineken Cup of this era [2] The Caledonia Reds won the first Scottish Inter-District Championship in the Scottish professional era in 1996–97 season.

Unfortunately the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) could not afford four district teams at this time. They disbanded Caledonia Reds and merged the district into that of the Glasgow Warriors, which was known then as Glasgow Caledonians. Anderson was one of the lucky players that was taken on by the Glasgow side in 1998. [3]

Anderson went on to play with Glasgow to 2001; he struggled with injury in 2000 with a detached bicep muscle [4] and mutually agreed to a release in his contract in January 2001. [5] However he was later included in the Scotland A squad of March 2001. [6]

International career

Internationally, Anderson had 11 eleven appearances at Scotland 'A' and a test appearance against Spain in Rugby World Cup qualification. [2] Jim Telfer said of Anderson's call up for the Spain match: "Willie has been performing very well for Glasgow Caledonians this season and we want to give him a shot at this level to see how he does. Hopefully, this will be a stern test." [7]

There had been calls for these test appearances - including in the Spain match - to be designated as a full Scotland cap by the SRU; Anderson is one of 30 players who could be retrospectively given a full Scotland cap if the SRU follows the Scottish Football Association's example and belatedly honours their players. [8] Anderson said this of his wish for a full Scotland cap: "I have been following and playing rugby since I was a small schoolkid, and it would be my ultimate ambition to get a Scotland cap." [9] In August 2023 Anderson was included in a list of 56 players to be awarded international caps retrospectively for games not classed as Tests at the time. [10]

This was finally done by the SRU on 15 August 2023. Anderson's match against Spain was given full status; and Anderson was given a full senior Scotland cap. He is cap number 1197 for Scotland. [11]

Coaching career

Anderson has coached the under-18 team at Kirkcaldy RFC. [12]

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References

  1. ↑ "RUGBY UNION: I'VE GOT THE PAUER".
  2. 1 2 Raymond Mann. "Club History - Kirkcaldy Rugby Football Club".
  3. ↑ "District cap does not fit six Scotland internationalists. Room left to tempt big names north as 43 players pay the penalty for rugby's contract revolution". Herald Scotland.
  4. ↑ "Caledonians lose forwards for rest of season". ESPN scrum.
  5. ↑ "Glasgow release two". ESPN scrum.
  6. ↑ "Jacobsen props up Scotland A".
  7. ↑ "Rugby Union: Anderson wins his chance to impress". The Independent. 23 October 2011.
  8. ↑ "Time for Scottish rugby to realise that if the cap fits ."
  9. ↑ "Rugby Union: Scotland turn to veteran Burnell". The Independent. 23 October 2011.
  10. ↑ "Scotland caps: More than 50 players to get retrospective cap". BBC Sport. 15 August 2023. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  11. ↑ MacLennan, Stuart (15 August 2023). "Scottish Rugby to award retrospective international caps". Scottish Rugby.
  12. ↑ "Contact - Kirkcaldy Rugby Football Club".
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