Obituary: Kim Elgie

Born in Durban, South Africa, Michael Kelsey Elgie, known as Kim, won eight caps for Scotland at rugby between 1954 and 1955.

He then went on to play in three cricket Tests for South Africa in 1961/62 as a right-hand bat and slow-left arm bowler.

For six months earlier this year, he was the oldest living South African Test cricketer.

Elgie was schooled at Michaelhouse in Natal and then came to Scotland to study at St Andrews University, where he soon attracted the attention of the Scotland selectors who were seeking to end a dispiriting run of successive defeats that stretched back to 1951.

Elgie also represented Madras College FP before joining London Scottish. After completing a Science degree at St Andrews, Elgie moved to London to study optometry and joined London Scottish.

He made his Scotland debut, against New Zealand at Murrayfield, on 13 February 1954, a display described as “full of promise” in contemporary newspaper reports, while his kicking, both for goal and in open play, was a feature of his game. Elgie’s Scottish heritage came through his grandmother who was a Caldwell (and her mother a Stewart).

Pictured: From the 1955 England v Scotland match at Twickenham. Kim Elgie is pictured second from the left in the back row.

A month later, Elgie scored Scotland’s first try of the season, in a 3-12 loss against England at Murrayfield. “Elgie ran with fine determination in following up his own kick-ahead and beating Ted Woodward to the touch down,” noted the Glasgow Herald’s scribe.

After 18 successive defeats, Scotland at last secured a victory against Wales on 5 February 1955, with Elgie contributing five points through a penalty and conversion of Jim Nichol’s try.

There wasn’t universal rejoicing at Scotland ending their hoodoo.  “There was not one satisfactory passing move by the Scottish threequarters,” bemoaned one reporter,  “. . . but Robin Charters’ (Elgie’s partner in the centre) determination to be the first to every loose ball and the huge kicks by Elgie from his own half to near the Welsh corner flags, cancelled out a great many mistakes.”

Elgie then weighed in with two penalties as Scotland won 12-3 against Ireland a fortnight later – their first success against Ireland since 1938.

His final cap was at Twickenham in March 1955, when Scotland were narrowly denied a Triple Crown as a consequence of England’s 9-6 win and after completing his studies, Elgie returned to Durban to join his father in the family optometry practice. Having injured his knee in his last game for London Scottish Elgie focussed his sporting talents on cricket. He represented Natal from 1957-1962 and his three appearances in Test cricket were all against New Zealand, scoring a half century in South Africa’s first innings at the Wanderers ground in Johannesburg in a drawn match, which started on Boxing Day 1961.

He married Jill Harvey and they remained in Durban and had three children Craig, Annabel and Graeme. Elgie became a keen golfer and was a member of the R&A and for 30 years he would spend every September in St Andrews playing golf and catching up with his old rugby friends.

Scottish Rugby extends its sincere sympathies to Kim Elgie’s family and friends.