Jimmie Ireland

Jimmie Ireland (10 December 1903 - 25 October 1998) was a Scotland international rugby union player. He became the 64th President of the Scottish Rugby Union.

Amateur career
Ireland was born in Sauchiehall Street and went to Garnethill Primary. He then attended Glasgow High School.

He played for Glasgow HSFP.

The Jimmie Ireland stand at the Glasgow club was opened in 2000.

Provincial career
He played for Glasgow District in the 1924 inter-city match.

International career
He was capped at the age of 14 for Scotland Schools.

He received ten caps for Scotland from 1925 to 1927.

He was the last surviving member of Scotland's first Grand Slam side of 1925. In 1996, he opened a block of hospitality suites at Murrayfield Stadium each one bearing a name of that famous XV.

He swapped jerseys with Sam Tucker, the England hooker, after Scotland had beaten England at Twickenham in 1926. He was given a bill by the SRU for the loss of the Scotland jersey of 12 shillings and 6 pence.

Referee career
He was an international referee. He refereed 5 Home Nations Championship matches between 1938 and 1939.

Administrative career
He became President of Glasgow HSFP.

He was a Chairman of the International Rugby Board. As Chairman, in 1949, he saw that Australia, South Africa and New Zealand were admitted as full members for the first time.

He was President of the Scottish Rugby Union for the period 1950 to 1951.

Outside of rugby
Ireland was an accountant. An anecdote he often told at rugby dinners was the time he asked his boss for Saturday morning off as he was playing for Scotland at Murrayfield. His boss replied: 'What? The whole morning?'.