Ian McGeechan

Early life

McGeechan was born in Leeds to a Glaswegian father who was in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He attended West Park County Secondary School and trained to be a PE teacher at Carnegie Physical Training College (now part of Leeds Metropolitan University). Although his family mostly played football, he took to rugby while in school.

Playing career

McGeechan played for Headingley and made his debut for Scotland in 1972. He won thirty-two caps, playing at fly-half and centre. He captained Scotland on nine occasions. He toured with the British and Irish Lions in both 1974 and 1977. During his playing career, he was also a PE teacher for over two decades.

Coaching

In 1986 McGeechan became the assistant Scotland coach to Derrick Grant and in 1988 he was promoted to coach. In 1990 his team won a Grand Slam victory in the Five Nations Championship. His forwards coach and partner was Jim Telfer.

McGeechan was the British and Irish Lions Head Coach in 1989, 1993, 1997 and 2009. In 2005, he coached the midweek side on the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand on the invitation of Sir Clive Woodward.

In 1994 McGeechan was appointed as Director of Rugby at Northampton and in 1999 replaced Jim Telfer as Scottish Director of Rugby.

McGeechan was appointed Director of Rugby at London Wasps in 2005 after an unsuccessful and unhappy period as the Scottish Director of Rugby. In his first season of 2005/06 he led Wasps to the Powergen Anglo Welsh Cup title, beating Llanelli Scarlets in the final at Twickenham. In his second season, London Wasps claimed the Heineken Cup and in his third season, London Wasps won the Premiership

In February 2010, McGeechan joined the coaching staff at Gloucester as an advisor to Head Coach Bryan Redpath and his coaching team. but moved to local rivals Bath Rugby to take up the post of performance director in June 2010.

In 2011 McGeechan took over as the director of rugby at Bath following Steve Meehan's departure.

In July 2012, McGeechan was appointed the executive chairman of Leeds Carnegie.

Teaching

McGeechan taught sport and geography at Fir Tree Middle School and Moor Grange County Secondary School in Leeds. He was also Vice Head Boy, assisting his best friend, Head Boy David Boland in the 1960s. During the 1970s and 1980s he was a teacher at Fir Tree Middle School, Leeds, again specialising in geography and sport.

Honours

McGeechan was knighted in the 2010 New Years Honours List for his services to rugby. and also received an OBE in 1990

Views

In August 2014, McGeechan was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.