Roger Davidson (rugby union)

Roger Davidson was a Scotland international rugby union player.[1]

Roger Davidson

Birth name	Roger Stewart Davidson
Date of birth	17 February 1869
Place of birth	Kinfauns Castle, Scotland
Date of death	18 February 1955 (aged 86)
Place of death	Perth, Scotland
University	University of Aberdeen
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1890 1892-94 1893 Perthshire Aberdeen Nomads Royal HSFP () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1892 1893 North of Scotland District East of Scotland District () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1893 Scotland 1 (0) Refereeing career Years Competition Apps 1896 Scottish Districts
29th President of the Scottish Rugby Union
In office 1902–1903
Preceded by	George Neilson
Succeeded by	Robert Greig

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Davidson started by playing for Perthshire.[2]

He moved to Aberdeen to study at university. In 1892, Davidson was playing for Aberdeen Nomads.[3]

Davidson played for Royal HSFP when he was capped for Scotland.[4] He was playing for them in March 1893 but it was remarked that he was just 'helping out' the side.[5]

Provincial career

Davidson was selected for Edinburgh District to play against North of Scotland District on 12 December 1891,[6] but the match was called off due to frost.[7]

He did play in the North of Scotland District match against Midlands District on 26 November 1892.[8] The Scottish Referee noted that Davidson and Trotter were conspicuous in the match for the North side, between them securing a try.[9]

In the other direction, Davidson was selected for North of Scotland District to play against Edinburgh District on 10 December 1892,[10] but the match was called off due to snow.[11] He was again selected for North of Scotland District to play against South of Scotland District on 14 January 1893[12] but again this match was also called off.

He played for East of Scotland District in their match against West of Scotland District on 21 January 1893.[13][14]

International career

He was capped once for Scotland in 1893.[15]

Referee career

He refereed a North of Scotland District versus Edinburgh Wanderers match on 21 March 1896.[16]

He was a linesman, or touch judge or assistant referee, for the Cities versus Provinces match of January 1899.[17]

He was also a touch-judge in the international Scotland v Ireland match in 1903,[18] and in the Scotland v England match that same year.[19]

Administrative career

He was elected a North of Scotland District representative on the board of the Scottish Rugby Union in October 1898.[20]

Davidson sent his apologies to the North of Scotland District when they organised a dinner to celebrate Mr. John M. Fyfe, their secretary, on 18 February 1899.[21]

Davidson was elected President of Perthshire in 1901.[22]

He was made Honorary Vice-President of Perthshire in 1902.[23]

Davidson was the 29th President of the Scottish Rugby Union. He served the 1902–1903 term in office.[24]

Outside of rugby

Davidson became a Minister of the Church of Scotland.[25] He took over the Parish of Kinfauns on his father's death - his father C. S. Davidson was also a Minister - and left Aberdeen in 1894.[26] All of Davidson's ministry was at Kinfauns with the exception of two years when he was assistant at Aberdeen St. Nicholas. He did join the Territorial Army and was a chaplain there for 25 years.[27]

Davidson announced his intention to retire as a minister at the start of February 1955. That month, he died a day after his birthday at Burghmuir Hospital in Perth, after being taken ill a few days before. He was able to talk to visiting friends who arrived for his birthday.[28]

References

1. http://en.espn.co.uk/scotland/rugby/player/1087.html
2. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000295/18901006/030/0003
3. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001876/18921212/035/0003
4. The Essential History of Rugby Union: Scotland by Nick Oswald and John Griffiths. Headline Publishing. 2003.
5. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001876/18930320/048/0003
6. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000162/18911212/002/0002
7. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000060/18911214/053/0010
8. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000453/18921125/067/0003
9. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001876/18921128/004/0001
10. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000475/18921201/031/0007
11. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001876/18921212/035/0003
12. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000295/18930104/049/0003
13. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001965/18930120/101/0006
14. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/18930121/056/0003
15. http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/player/1087.html?class=1;template=results;type=player;view=match
16. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000575/18960321/124/0007
17. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001876/18990116/017/0002
18. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001055/19030228/026/0003
19. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000337/19030321/031/0003
20. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000295/18981014/102/0004
21. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000575/18990220/165/0007
22. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000582/19010918/128/0005
23. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000582/19020917/119/0004
24. https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/sru-files/files/SR_RR1819_digital.pdf
25. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000563/19270314/060/0004
26. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000444/18940713/054/0003
27. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19550219/091/0002
28. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19550219/091/0002