David Leslie (rugby union)

David Leslie (born 14 April 1952)[1] is a former Scottish rugby union player. He played for Scotland 32 times between 1975 and 1985.[2] He usually played at number eight, but occasionally at flanker.[3]

He was first capped against Ireland in 1975, but did not become a regular on the Scotland squad until 1981.[2][4]

He spent much of his playing time injured, missing the 1977, 1978, 1979 Five Nations, and half of the 1980 season.[4] He broke a leg in 1982, missing the 1982 Scotland rugby union tour of Australia.[4]

Leslie scored Scotland's first try against Romania in 1984, only his second for Scotland.[4]

He played for Gala RFC, which he captained.[4]

Controversially, he was left off the 1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand.[4] In 1984, he was voted Rugby World's "Player of the Season".[3]

Richard Bath writes of him that:

"Throughout his career, he was consistently the most focussed and fearless player in a Scottish squad which had more than its fair share of fearless breakaways... for all his intensity, Leslie found it hard to establish himself in the Scottish side until late on in his career."[2]

Allan Massie considered that:

"Leslie's first quality is courage. All back-row forwards have to be brave, but Leslie's courage defies reason and probability alike: he reckons any ball on the ground is his to win. The courage is so blinding that one is apt to overlook the skill, judgement and timing with which he launches himself at such balls and attaches himself to them.
"He is in fact a very skilful educated player (he often played fly-half in his schooldays). He gives and takes a pass better than most of the Scottish three-quarter line. He has acquired the knack of dipping his shoulder into the tackler and slipping the ball at the same moment to a supporting player. He kicks well. Perhaps though his greatest asset with the ball in his hand is his intuitive knowledge of what is right. Jim Telfer has said that he can stop worrying when Leslie has the ball, being 99 per cent sure that he will out it to the best use possible. This is a quality that many of even the best and most spectacular of back-row men never acquire."[5]

He went to school at High School of Dundee and Glenalmond College.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "David Leslie". espnscrum.com. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bath p146
  3. 1 2 Massie, p194
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Massie, p192
  5. ↑ Massie, p192-3
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