David Shedden

Scottish Rugby is saddened to learn of the death of former Scotland winger David Shedden who passed away last week aged 73.

Shedden won 15 caps for Scotland between 1972 and 1978 and scored two tries for his country.

He made his debut against New Zealand, having won promotion from the Scotland B team, for whom he played twice against their French counterparts.

He also figured in two trial matches in the 1971-72 season, initially for the Blues and then for the Rest.

He played for his club, West of Scotland – helping them to the unofficial club championship in 1970-71 – and the Glasgow District side from 1964-65.

At Spiers School, Beith in Ayrshire, he played for his school first XV and played briefly for the FP club Old Spierans before joining West of Scotland.

He was also a gifted schoolboy sprinter, competing in the Scottish Schools Championship between 1960 and 1962.

Shedden’s West and Scotland team-mate, Sandy Carmichael, said: “I used to pull his leg about his thin-ness but he was a brave, brave player.

“In those days, the Scottish selectors had a policy that you had to weigh more than 11 stones to be picked. We knew we’d be weighed at the first District game and we piled keys, coins, anything we could find, into Dave’s tracksuit pockets to get the scales over 11 stones. He was a great man.”

In his career, Shedden worked for Lloyds Banking Group, progressing from a rep via branch managership and area managership to a director role. On his presentation to mark 25 years with the bank he was described as “a winner at work and on the field.”

A keen golfer at the Ranfurly Castle club at Bridge of Weir, he was a contented family man, enjoying 42 years of happy marriage with his child-hood sweetheart Janie.

His funeral will take place at Houston and Killellan Kirk, Kirk Road, Houston, Renfrewshire on Monday 6 November at 11am.

Scottish Rugby extends its sincere condolences to David Shedden’s daughter Lynne, grandchildren Robbie and Jessica and his many friends, particularly those at the Rugby Memories Group.