Everyone at Mansfield Park were deeply saddened today, to learn of the passing of Oliver Grant, another of Hawick rugby’s favourite sons.
Oliver was capped 6 times for his country, gaining his first 3 caps in season 1960/61, with his first cap won in Dublin, as a late replacement for the injured Frans Ten Bos, when he played his part in a gutsy 5-6 win. After which his great friend a teammate Hugh McLeod ran the length of the pitch to retrieve the match ball for him, presenting it in the dressing room with the immortal words, ‘Ave been coming here for 8 years and couldnae buy a win…..and yow ya bugger dae it on your first shot’!
His second cap was won against England at Murrayfield, before being selected for the first short tour of its kind when Scotland went to South Africa, where he played the test match, packing down against the great Doug Hopwood, a man who’s trade mark number 8 ‘pick up’ Grant greatly admired, and which he would adopt, adapt and use to great effect throughout his career. Scotland put up a typically tenacious display in the match, losing only 18-10 to the Boks in the Port Elizabeth test.
Following the death of his father in April 61, Grant slipped out of favour with the Scottish selectors, until season 63/64, when following a tremendous performance against Wilson Whineray’s All Black’s for the South, when losing narrowly 8-0, he roared back into the reckoning. In that South side were 9 Hawick men, 6 in the pack, an incredible achievement for the small Border town.
He won his place back in the Scottish side to face France, winning that game 10-0, and the following month Oliver retained his place as Scotland locked horns with the mighty All Blacks once again, when he played his part in an inspired and ferocious pack performance as they held New Zealand 0-0 in front of a huge Murrayfield crowd. In the Scottish pack with him that day, his great friend and team mate Billy Hunter, who in the dressing room after the game, put his hand on Oliver’s knee and said ‘no bad, for twa lads thrae the ATC’…….. ‘Aye Billy, no bad’
His final cap was against Wales that season, at the Arms Park.
He was selected for the Baa-Baa’s Easter Tour in 1962, when he played against both Cardiff and Newport, (scoring a try against latter).
Oliver was thought to be unlucky to miss out on selection for the ‘65 Lions tour to South Africa, when many in the rugby press thought his style of play and experience of touring in a South Africa early in his career, would stand the tourists in good stead, alas it wasn’t to be.
A regular fixture in the South district pack from the late 50’s through to the mid 60’s, Oliver played his part in several championship winning squads, together with many of his Hawick teammates from that wonderful era, many of whom went on to represent their country, most notably Adam Robson, Hugh McLeod, Billy Hunter, Jack Hegarty, Norman Suddon and brother Derrick.
However it was in playing for his beloved Hawick that Oliver truly revelled and excelled. After cutting his teeth with the semi-junior side the ATC, and Hawick YM, he played his first game for the Robbie Dyes in 1954, a tight victory against the men from Langholm, and in going on to make more than 200 appearances for the Greens, Oliver’s try scoring record from the back row was outstanding. Playing along side older brother Jack early in his career, and then younger brother Derrick in the 60’s, Oliver made the #8 jersey his own, and was part of the all conquering Greens squad of the early 60’s which, under the captaincy of Jack Hegarty won the Unofficial Scottish Championship and Border League, going on to be the dominant force in Scottish club rugby through much of the 60’s.
He was also part of a fine Hawick 7 who came within a hairs breadth of resting the Middlesex Sevens crown from the mighty London Scottish in 1963, coming back from a three try deficit in the final, only to fall agonisingly short with the last play of the tie, but winning the hearts of the huge Twickenham crowd in doing so.
Work commitments took Oliver south to Yorkshire in 1965, and in hearing he was resident in Knaresborough, the Harrogate committee got in touch to coax him out of semi retirement as they targeted the Yorkshire cup that season. He duly pulled on his boots again, and as part of a strong squad, which included Wales & British Lion hooker Jeff Young won their way to the final, where they defeated Wakefield 9-8 at Otley.
During this period Oliver was capped for Yorkshire on several occasions, an honour he ranked very highly indeed.
After finally retiring from playing, work commitments took Oliver and his family south to London, but the call of the oval ball was never far away and he quickly became involved with coaching at London Scottish……a love affair which endured for more than 2 decades, before the spectre of early professionalism began to rear its head. During his time at the Athletic Ground, Oliver nurtured and coached many talented players, creating a team which regularly challenged at the very top tier of English club rugby.
Oliver’s canny coaching style wasn’t missed by Ian Robertson the Cambridge University Captain, (and Scottish cap in waiting), when in 1967 he asked him if he might take a couple of sessions in the build up to the Varsity clash that season, Cambridge not having beaten Oxford for some 3 seasons. Oliver duly obliged putting the pack through their paces, and Cambridge managed to overturn their arch rivals and earn bragging rights for the year.
With Oliver coaching London Scottish, and younger brother Derrick coaching Hawick during this time, the two were indirectly responsible for a fine conveyor belt of talent which the SRU could call on.
Oliver will long be remembered by the Hawick faithful and by those who played with him and against him, as part of a generation of Hawick rugby players, who’s soul purpose was to play for each other, honour the Green jersey they wore with pride, and who through it all remained humble grounded family men.
In the words of another proud Scot
“In the dust of defeat as well as the laurels of victory there is a glory to be found if one has done his best.” Eric Liddell
Oliver never gave anything but his best………and the game of rugby was all the better for it.
Hawick RFC and everyone associated with the club would like to pass on their sincere condolences and thoughts to Oliver’s wife Sally, daughters Vivian and Hannah and son Malcolm, together with their families at this very sad time.
Sleep tight proud Robbie Dye…….
