John Jeffrey: Difference between revisions

John Jeffrey
Date of birth	25 March 1959 (age 65)
Place of birth	Kelso, Scottish Borders
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Position(s)	Flanker
Amateur team(s)
Years	Team
-	Kelso
Provincial / State sides
Years	Team
-	South of Scotland
International career
Years	Team
1983-84	Scotland 'B'
1984–91	Scotland

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John Jeffrey (born 25 March 1959) is a Scottish former rugby union player, coach and administrator. He won 40 caps for Scotland, and was part of the team that won the Grand Slam in 1990. After retiring as a player he was a coach and administrator.

Early life

Jeffrey was educated at St. Mary's School, Melrose and Merchiston Castle School.^[1] Jeffrey owns a farm in the Borders. His nicknames were "The Great White Shark" and "JJ".

Playing career

Jeffrey played for Kelso and South of Scotland.

He was capped by Scotland 'B' 3 times between 1983 and 1984.

He won forty caps for Scotland between 1984 and 1991, making him, at the time, Scotland's most capped flanker. He scored 11 tries, another Scottish record at the time, shared with back-row colleague Derek White.

Journalist Richard Bath described him as "one of the most galvanising sights in Five Nations rugby throughout the 1980s and early 1990s."^[2]

In 1988, after playing football with the Calcutta Cup along Princes Street in Edinburgh with England's Dean Richards, Jeffrey received a six-month ban from the Scottish Rugby Union.^[3] Richards received a one match sentence from the English Rugby Football Union.^[2] The trophy was severely dented, and cost hundreds of pounds to repair. Jeffrey later admitted to having been drunk at the time of the incident: "There was no doubt it was us. It was a mix of alcohol and high jinks. I think I had sobered up a bit by the time I got back to the hotel. I remember looking at the cup and thinking, 'hmmm, we could be in a spot of bother here'."^[4]

Jeffrey was selected for the British Lions' 1989 Tour of Australia.

He was a part of the Scotland team that won the Grand Slam in 1990.

During the 1990 Hong Kong Sevens, Jeffrey played for Scotland 7s, but when they were knocked out, he went on to play for Wales 7s as they were suffering from too many injuries.^[5]

Later career

Jeffrey was involved in coaching the Scotland youth teams. He has commentated on rugby games for the BBC.

He was a member of the (now World Rugby) Council (previously the International Rugby Board) and head of referees since 2010.

In December 2020 Jeffrey was appointed as chairman of the Scottish Rugby Board.^[6] In December 2022 Scottish Rugby announced that Jeffrey would stand down as chairman in May 2023 but would remain on the board.^[7]

In 2024 Jeffrey put himself forward as a candidate for the charirmanship of World Rugby. His candidacy was not supported by the Scottish Ruby Union, and he subsequently resigned as president of the Six Nations and as a board member, council member and vice-chairman of World Rugby.

References

^ "John Jeffrey handed Moredun honorary fellowship". The Courier (Dundee). 16 September 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
^ ^a ^b Bath, p141
^ McMurtrie, Bill. "Ban on Jeffrey over Calcutta Cup affair". The Herald. Glasgow. p. 1. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
^ "Six Nations 2013: The drunken night when Dean Richards and John Jeffrey trashed the Calcutta Cup". 31 January 2013. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
^ Hands, David (2 April 1990). "Fijians perform in a way unmatched even by All Blacks". The Times. London, UK.
^ "John Jeffrey appointed chairman of the Scottish Rugby board". The Scotsman. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
^ "Scottish Rugby begin hunt for new chair but John Jeffrey to remain on board". The Scotsman. 6 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.

Sources

Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ISBN 1-86200-013-1)

External links

John Jeffrey on Sporting Heroes
A tribute to John Jeffrey in The Scotsman newspaper
John Jeffrey at ESPNscrum

[courier-1] "John Jeffrey handed Moredun honorary fellowship". The Courier (Dundee). 16 September 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2016.

[Bath-2] Bath, p141

[3] McMurtrie, Bill. "Ban on Jeffrey over Calcutta Cup affair". The Herald. Glasgow. p. 1. Retrieved 5 February 2017.

[4] "Six Nations 2013: The drunken night when Dean Richards and John Jeffrey trashed the Calcutta Cup". 31 January 2013. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 29 September 2019.

[Wales-5] Hands, David (2 April 1990). "Fijians perform in a way unmatched even by All Blacks". The Times. London, UK.

[6] "John Jeffrey appointed chairman of the Scottish Rugby board". The Scotsman. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.

[7] "Scottish Rugby begin hunt for new chair but John Jeffrey to remain on board". The Scotsman. 6 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|British Lions & Scotland international rugby union player}}
 {{other people}}
+{{for|the Welsh international rugby union player|John Jeffery (rugby union)}}
-{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2012}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
 {{Use British English|date=September 2012}}
-{{infobox Rugby biography
+{{infobox rugby biography
 | image =
-|image_size=
+| image_size =
 | caption =
-| birthname=
+| birth_name =
 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1959|3|25}}
 | birth_place = [[Kelso, Scottish Borders]]
 | height =
 | weight =
-| ru_position = Flanker
+| ru_position = [[Flanker (rugby union)|Flanker]]
-| ru_amateuryears =
+| amatyears1 = -
+| amatteam1 = [[Kelso RFC|Kelso]]
-| ru_amateurclubs =
+| ru_provinceyears= -
-| ru_clubyears =
+| ru_province = {{nowrap|[[South of Scotland District (rugby union)|South of Scotland]]}}
-| ru_proclubs =
+| ru_provincecaps =
-| ru_clubcaps =
+| ru_provincepoints =
-| ru_clubpoints =
+| repyears1 = 1983-84
-| ru_nationalyears = 1984–1991
+| repteam1 = [[Scotland B national rugby union team|Scotland 'B']]
-| ru_nationalteam = {{ru|Scotland}}
-| ru_nationalcaps = 40
+| repcaps1 = 3
+| reppoints1 =
-| ru_nationalpoints =(44)
+| repyears2 = 1984–91
+| repteam2 = [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]]
+| repcaps2 = 40
+| reppoints2 = 44
 }}
-'''John Jeffrey''' (born 25 March 1959 in [[Kelso, Scottish Borders|Kelso]] in the [[Scottish Borders]]) is a Scottish former international [[rugby union]] player. His nicknames are "The Great White Shark" and "JJ", the former widely thought to be because of his blonde "thatch of hair", though in a recent book called 'The Grudge' by Tom English, it is a nickname that was given to him because of his very white skin.<ref name=Bath>Bath, p141</ref>
+'''John Jeffrey''' (born 25 March 1959) is a Scottish former [[rugby union]] player, coach and administrator. He won 40 caps for Scotland, and was part of the team that won the Grand Slam in 1990. After retiring as a player he was a coach and administrator.
-Richard Bath has described him as "one of the most galvanising sights in [[Six Nations Championship|Five Nations rugby]] throughout the 1980s and early 1990s."<ref name=Bath/>
+==Early life==
-Jeffrey was educated at [[St. Mary's School, Melrose]] and [[Merchiston Castle School]].<ref name="courier">{{cite news |url=http://www.thecourier.co.uk/business/farming/news/john-jeffrey-handed-moredun-honorary-fellowship-1.578832 |title=John Jeffrey handed Moredun honorary fellowship |newspaper=[[The Courier (Dundee)]] |date=16 September 2014 |accessdate=22 January 2016}}</ref>  He won forty caps for Scotland between 1984 and 1991, making him, at the time, Scotland's most capped [[Flanker (rugby union)|flanker]]. He was also a British and Irish Lion with Scotland team mate Finlay Calder in 1989.
+Jeffrey was educated at [[St. Mary's School, Melrose]] and [[Merchiston Castle School]].<ref name="courier">{{cite news |url=http://www.thecourier.co.uk/business/farming/news/john-jeffrey-handed-moredun-honorary-fellowship-1.578832 |title=John Jeffrey handed Moredun honorary fellowship |newspaper=[[The Courier (Dundee)]] |date=16 September 2014 |access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref> Jeffrey owns a farm in the Borders. His nicknames were "The Great White Shark" and "JJ".
+==Playing career==
-Jeffrey's "day job" was his Borders farm, of which he had only one regret: "If I stand on a hill I can see England."<ref name=Bath/>
+Jeffrey played for [[Kelso RFC|Kelso]] and [[South of Scotland District (rugby union)|South of Scotland]].
+He was capped by [[Scotland B national rugby union team|Scotland 'B']] 3 times between 1983 and 1984.
-==Player==
-Invariably first to the breakdown point, first with the tackle, or first with an inspired counter, Jeffrey had the ability to score important tries, of which he scored 11, another Scottish record at the time, shared with back-row colleague [[Derek White (rugby union)|Derek White]]. He was also a member of the [[British and Irish Lions|British Lions]] on the tour to Australia in 1989.
+He won forty caps for Scotland between 1984 and 1991, making him, at the time, Scotland's most capped [[Flanker (rugby union)|flanker]]. He scored 11 tries, another Scottish record at the time, shared with back-row colleague [[Derek White (rugby union)|Derek White]].
-In 1988, after playing football with the [[Calcutta Cup]] along [[Princes Street]] in [[Edinburgh]] with [[England national rugby union team|England's]] [[Dean Richards (rugby player)|Dean Richards]], Jeffrey received a six-month ban from the [[Scottish Rugby Union]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ADlAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OlkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3325%2C3518499 |title=Ban on Jeffrey over Calcutta Cup affair |first=Bill |last=McMurtrie |work=The Glasgow Herald |page=1 |accessdate=5 February 2017}}</ref> Richards received just a one match sentence from the English [[Rugby Football Union]].<ref name=Bath/> The trophy was severely dented, and cost hundreds of pounds to repair.
+Journalist Richard Bath described him as "one of the most galvanising sights in [[Six Nations Championship|Five Nations rugby]] throughout the 1980s and early 1990s."<ref name=Bath>Bath, p141</ref>
-During the 1990 [[Hong Kong Sevens]], Jeffrey played for the [[Scotland national rugby sevens team|Scottish side]], but when they were knocked out, he went on to play for [[Wales national rugby sevens team|Wales]] as they were suffering from too many injuries.
+In 1988, after playing football with the [[Calcutta Cup]] along [[Princes Street]] in [[Edinburgh]] with [[England national rugby union team|England's]] [[Dean Richards (rugby player)|Dean Richards]], Jeffrey received a six-month ban from the [[Scottish Rugby Union]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ADlAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OlkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3325%2C3518499 |title=Ban on Jeffrey over Calcutta Cup affair |first=Bill |last=McMurtrie |work=The Herald|location=Glasgow |page=1 |access-date=5 February 2017}}</ref> Richards received a one match sentence from the English [[Rugby Football Union]].<ref name=Bath/> The trophy was severely dented, and cost hundreds of pounds to repair. Jeffrey later admitted to having been drunk at the time of the incident: "There was no doubt it was us. It was a mix of alcohol and high jinks. I think I had sobered up a bit by the time I got back to the hotel. I remember looking at the cup and thinking, 'hmmm, we could be in a spot of bother here'."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/9837785/Six-Nations-2013-The-drunken-night-when-Dean-Richards-and-John-Jeffrey-trashed-the-Calcutta-Cup.html|title=Six Nations 2013: The drunken night when Dean Richards and John Jeffrey trashed the Calcutta Cup|date=2013-01-31|access-date=2019-09-29|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
-==Scottish Grand Slam (1990)==
-He was an outstanding performer in the [[Grand Slam (rugby union)|Grand Slam]] season of [[1990 Five Nations Championship|1990]] (he was the one who started the move from the scrum that led to [[Gavin Hastings]]'s famous kick to [[Tony Stanger]], sealing the victory against the English), Jeffrey had been a British Lion on the [[1989 British Lions tour to Australia|1989 Tour of Australia]], ironically being kept out of the Test side by his national team-mates [[Finlay Calder]] and [[Derek White (rugby union)|Derek White]], and Englishmen [[Mike Teague]] who would suffer for this indignity in the famous [[Calcutta Cup]] showdown a year later.
+Jeffrey was selected for the British Lions' [[1989 British Lions tour to Australia|1989 Tour of Australia]].
-==Coach and commentator==
-Recently{{When|date=February 2011}} he has been involved in coaching the Scotland youth teams and commentating at rugby games on [[BBC Radio Scotland]]'s ''Sportsound'' programme.
+He was a part of the Scotland team that won the [[Grand Slam (rugby union)|Grand Slam]] in [[1990 Five Nations Championship|1990]].
-When interviewed he came up with the memorable comment: "Scoreboards do not lie!"
+During the 1990 [[Hong Kong Sevens]], Jeffrey played for [[Scotland national rugby sevens team|Scotland 7s]], but when they were knocked out, he went on to play for [[Wales national rugby sevens team|Wales 7s]] as they were suffering from too many injuries.<ref name="Wales">{{cite news |last=Hands |first=David |date=2 April 1990 |title=Fijians perform in a way unmatched even by All Blacks |work= The Times |location=London, UK }}</ref>
-==IRB==
-He has been a member of the [[International Rugby Board]] (Now called World Rugby) Council and head of referees since 2010.
+===Later career===
+Jeffrey was involved in coaching the Scotland youth teams. He has commentated on rugby games for the [[BBC]].
+He was a member of the (now [[World Rugby]]) Council (previously the [[International Rugby Board]]) and head of referees since 2010.
+In December 2020 Jeffrey was appointed as chairman of the Scottish Rugby Board.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/john-jeffrey-appointed-chairman-of-the-scottish-rugby-board-3057059|title=John Jeffrey appointed chairman of the Scottish Rugby board|date=2020-12-03|access-date=2022-12-19|language=en-GB|work=The Scotsman}}</ref> In December 2022 Scottish Rugby announced that Jeffrey would stand down as chairman in May 2023 but would remain on the board.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/scottish-rugby-begin-hunt-for-new-chair-but-john-jeffrey-to-remain-on-board-3944435|title=Scottish Rugby begin hunt for new chair but John Jeffrey to remain on board|date=2022-12-06|access-date=2022-12-19|language=en-GB|work=The Scotsman}}</ref>
+In 2024 Jeffrey put himself forward as a candidate for the charirmanship of World Rugby. His candidacy was not supported by the Scottish Ruby Union, and he subsequently resigned as president of the Six Nations and as a board member, council member and vice-chairman of World Rugby.
 ==References==
-<references/>
+{{reflist|2}}
-==Bibliography==
-* Bath, Richard (ed.) ''The Complete Book of Rugby'' (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 {{ISBN|1-86200-013-1}})
+;Sources
-== External links ==
+{{refbegin}}
+# Bath, Richard (ed.) ''The Complete Book of Rugby'' (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 {{ISBN|1-86200-013-1}})
+{{refend}}
+==External links==
 *[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1476 John Jeffrey on Sporting Heroes]
 *[http://sport.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=325&id=474212002 A tribute to John Jeffrey in ''The Scotsman'' newspaper]
+*{{ESPNscrum|9827}}
-*[http://www.scrum.com/scotland/rugby/player/9827.html John Jeffrey on Scrum.com]
 {{British and Irish Lions 1986}}
@@ Line 69: / Line 85: @@
 [[Category:1959 births]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
-[[Category:People educated at St. Mary's School, Melrose]]
+[[Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Scotland]]
-[[Category:Scottish rugby union players]]
-[[Category:Scotland international rugby union players]]
-[[Category:Scottish rugby union coaches]]
-[[Category:People educated at Merchiston Castle School]]
-[[Category:British and Irish Lions rugby union players from Scotland]]
-[[Category:People from Kelso, Scottish Borders]]
 [[Category:Kelso RFC players]]
-[[Category:Sportspeople from the Scottish Borders]]
-[[Category:Scotland international rugby sevens players]]
 [[Category:Male rugby sevens players]]
+[[Category:People educated at Merchiston Castle School]]
+[[Category:People educated at St Mary's School, Melrose]]
+[[Category:Rugby union flankers]]
+[[Category:Rugby union players from Kelso]]
+[[Category:Scotland 'B' international rugby union players]]
+[[Category:Scotland international rugby sevens players]]
+[[Category:Scotland international rugby union players]]
+[[Category:Scottish rugby union coaches]]
+[[Category:Scottish rugby union commentators]]
+[[Category:Scottish rugby union players]]
+[[Category:South of Scotland District (rugby union) players]]
+[[Category:1987 Rugby World Cup players]]
+[[Category:1991 Rugby World Cup players]]

v t e British Lions – 1986 IRFB Centenary Match vs The Rest
Forwards	Nigel Carr (Ire) John Beattie (Sco) John Jeffrey (Sco) Donal Lenihan (Ire) Wade Dooley (Eng) Des Fitzgerald (Ire) Colin Deans (Sco) (c) Jeff Whitefoot (Wal) Iain Paxton (Sco) (bench) Iain Milne (Sco) (bench)
Backs	Gavin Hastings (Sco) Trevor Ringland (Ire) Brendan Mullin (Ire) John Devereux (Wal) Rory Underwood (Eng) John Rutherford (Sco) Robert Jones (Wal) Malcolm Dacey (Wal) (bench) Richard Hill (Eng) (bench) Mike Kiernan (Ire) (bench) Steve Brain (Eng) (bench)
Coach	Mick Doyle

v t e Scotland squad – 1987 Rugby World Cup
Forwards	Calder Campbell-Lamerton Deans (c) Jeffrey Milne Paxton Rowan Sole Tomes Turnbull White
Backs	Cramb Duncan G. Hastings S. Hastings Laidlaw Oliver Robertson Rutherford Tait Tukalo Wyllie
Coach: Grant

v t e British Lions – 1989 Australia tour
Forwards	Ackford Calder Chilcott Dooley Griffiths Jeffrey Lenihan Moore Norster Richards Robinson Smith Sole Teague White Young
Backs	Andrew Armstrong Chalmers Clement Dean Devereux Dods Evans Guscott Hall G. Hastings S. Hastings Jones Mullin Oti Underwood Carling (withdrew - injury)
Coach	McGeechan

v t e Four Home Unions XV – 1990 Four Home Unions v Rest of Europe
Forwards	B C Moore England M Griffiths Wales P J Ackford in bio England D F Cronin in teamsheet Scotland N P Francis Ireland J Jeffrey Scotland P J Winterbottom England N P Mannion Ireland J A Probyn England K S Milne Scotland D J Turnbull Scotland D M B Sole Scotland
Backs	S M Bates England A G Hastings Scotland A G Stanger Scotland W D C Carling England J C Guscott England R Underwood England C R Andrew England R J Hill England C H Chalmers Scotland
Coach	I R McGeechan Scotland