Obituary: Hugh Penman

Hugh passed away on Friday 3 October having given a lifetime of service to the game, firstly as a talented full-back, renowned for his goal-kicking accuracy, and then as an administrator, whose quiet influence extended to the sport’s ultimate corridors of power.

Hugh was a product of Edinburgh’s famous Royal High School side, under the astute guidance of teacher Doug Mitchell, one of the great rugby coaches of the 1960s/70s.

Hugh’s fellow Royal High pupil at the time, Colin Telfer, who went on to play for Hawick and Scotland at stand-off and also coach Scotland said: “I played with Hugh at school for two or three years.  His main attribute was his kicking for goal.

“I’ve done an analysis of it, he scored about 204 points of a total of 528, about 40% of our points, mainly through conversions and penalties, with the odd try thrown in for good measure.

“He was very much part of the really open game that Doug ‘Curly Bill’ Mitchell had us playing.

“Hugh was very knowledgeable about the game. He also lived life well and had a very dry sense of humour.”

Hugh made his Edinburgh district debut against Cumberland and Westmorland under the Poynder Park lights in Kelso in October 1967.

While working in the planning department at Edinburgh’s City Chambers, Hugh continued to play club rugby for Royal High School FP.

Scottish Rugby’s Head of Regulation, Graham Ireland, who was also schooled at Royal High, said: “I remember Hugh telling me that he played in a Scotland trial. He was then put on standby for a Five Nations Championship match but decided to play for the club the week before the Scotland game.

“Sadly, in the club match he got a smashed cheekbone – and thereby missed out on getting capped when the player selected ahead of him for Scotland pulled out of the international.”

When he retired from playing, Hugh became club secretary at Royal High, joining Scottish Rugby as administrative secretary in the 1985-86 season, working alongside the legendary Bill Hogg.

In 1993, Hugh joined the then International Rugby Board (now World Rugby) and helped steer the game’s global governing body through an unprecedented period of change, which included the game going open in 1995.

During his 13 years with the IRB, Hugh went on to serve as interim CEO, prior to the appointment of Mike Miller in the early 2000s.

When he retired from the IRB in 2006, Hugh returned to Scotland and rejoined Scottish Rugby for three years on a part-time basis, primarily concerned with player welfare.

Hugh’s funeral will be held at Mortonhall Crematorium, 30B Howden Hall Rd, Edinburgh EH16 6TX on Tuesday 21 October at 3pm.

Scottish Rugby extends its sincere condolences to Hugh’s family and many friends.