Robert Greig (rugby union)

Robert Greig

Birth name	Robert Coventry Greig
Date of birth	(1871-05-30)30 May 1871
Place of birth	Glasgow, Scotland
Date of death	10 January 1951(1951-01-10) (aged 79)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Half back Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1889 Glasgow Academicals () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1892 Glasgow District () 1893 West of Scotland District () 1893 Cities District () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1893-97 Scotland 2 (0)
30th President of the Scottish Rugby Union
In office 1903–1904
Preceded by	Roger Davidson
Succeeded by	John Simpson

Robert Greig (30 May 1871 – 10 January 1951) was a Scotland international rugby union player.[1]

Life

Greig was born in 1871. His elder sister was Agnes Ethel Greig. She died in 1902 and it was only later that he discovered that he had three nieces, Agnes, Elspeth and Ethel Robertson, after his late sister's son contacted him. His nieces would go on to control a large whisky business.[2]

Rugby union career

Amateur career

Greig played with Glasgow Academicals.[3] He was playing with the club from 1889.[4] The club had a Spring Meeting festival day in 1891. As part of that, there was a drop kick tournament to see how far the contenders could drop kick a goal. Greig won the tournament by drop kicking from 61 yards out, though it was aided by the wind.[5]

Provincial career

Greig played for Glasgow District against Edinburgh District in the 1892 inter-city match.[6]

He also played for the West of Scotland District in their match against East of Scotland District on 21 January 1893.[7]

He played for Cities District against Provinces District on 23 December 1893.[8]

International career

Greig was capped twice for Scotland between 1893 and 1897.[9]

Administrative career

He became the 30th President of the Scottish Rugby Union. He served one year from 1903 to 1904.[10]

Cricket career

He was playing for the Glasgow Academical Cricket Club in 1891.[11]

References

1. "Robert Coventry Greig". ESPNscrum.com. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
2. Moss, Michael S. (13 June 2024), "Robertson, Ethel Greig [Babs] (1902–1985), whisky blender and distiller, and philanthropist", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000382521, ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8, retrieved 28 June 2024
3. The Essential History of Rugby Union : Scotland. Nick Oswald and John Griffiths. Headline Publishing. 2003, ISBN 978-0755312726
4. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
5. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search". News.google.com. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
7. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
8. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
9. "Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - Robert Greig - Test matches". En.espn.co.uk.
10. "Scottish Rugby Record 2018/19" (PDF). Scottish Rugby.
11. "Register". Retrieved 16 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.