Frans ten Bos

Scottish Rugby is saddened to learn of the death of the former Scotland lock forward Frans ten Bos. He passed away on Thursday at the age of 79.Frans Herman ten Bos won 17 caps for Scotland between 1959 and 1963 and was on the winning side on nine occasions.Born in Richmond to Dutch parents, ten Bos was educated at Lathallan and Fettes College, having travelled to Scotland from Holland on the outbreak of the Second World War. In latter years he stayed near Kirriemuir in Angus.His debut was a 3-3 draw against England at Twickenham, Dave Rollo, Jim Shackleton and Jock Davidson also winning their first caps that day.He won his first cap out of Oxford University and subsequently played his club rugby for London Scottish.He was lauded for his contribution to Scotland’s first win in the Welsh capital for 35 years – in 1962, an 8-3 margin.In his book, Scottish Rugby – Game by Game, Kenneth Bogle wrote: “The Scots opened the scoring after 17 minutes when the forwards held the ball at an advancing scrum before (John) Douglas and ten Bos broke away and put (Ron) Glasgow over on the left.”A few minutes later (Gordon) Waddell put up a high kick into the Welsh 22, ten Bos gathered the rebound and used his considerable momentum to get over the line.”Ten Bos’s final year of international rugby, 1963, featured an away victory against France, while his last cap, was marked by a famous individual try by England’s stand-off, Richard Sharp.Scottish Rugby extends its sincere condolences to all Frans ten Bos’s family and friends.A funeral service for Frans ten Bos will be held at Fettes College on Wednesday 14 September at 3pm.