View source for Bruce Hay

{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox rugby union biography
| name = Bruce Hay
| image = Bruce Hay.jpg
| birth_name = Bruce Hamilton Hay
| birth_date = {{birth date|1950|05|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Edinburgh]], Scotland
| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|10|01|1950|05|23|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Edinburgh]], Scotland
| position = full-back
| amatyears1 = &ndash;
| amatteam1 = [[Liberton RFC|Liberton]]
| amatapps1 = 
| amatpoints1 =
| amatyears2 = 1972&ndash;
| amatteam2 = [[Boroughmuir RFC|Boroughmuir]]
| amatapps2 = 279
| amatpoints2 =
| provinceyears1= &ndash;
| province1 = [[Edinburgh District (rugby union)|Edinburgh District]]
| provinceapps1 =
| provincepoints1 =
| repyears1= 1975-81
| repteam1= [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]]
| repcaps1= 23
| reppoints1 = 12
| coachyears1= &ndash;
| coachteams1=[[Boroughmuir RFC|Boroughmuir]]<ref name=tributes/>
| coachyears2= &ndash;
| coachteams2=Edinburgh<ref name=tributes/>
| coachyears3= &ndash;
| coachteams3=Scotland B<ref name=tributes/>
| coachyears4= &ndash;
| coachteams4=Scotland Under-19s<ref name=tributes>{{cite web
  | title = Tributes pour in for Bruce Hay - a great rugby ambassador
  | work = [[The Scotsman]]
  | date = 2007-10-02
  | url = http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1577082007
  }}</ref>
}}
'''Bruce Hamilton Hay''' (23 May 1950 – 1 October 2007) was a [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]] international [[rugby union player]].

==Background==
Hay was born in [[Edinburgh]] and educated at [[Liberton High School]]. From there he went on to work as an electrical engineer for the [[National Coal Board]]. Latterly he worked as a sales representative.

==Rugby Union career==

===Amateur career===

Hay was a [[Fullback (rugby union)|fullback]]. He started his rugby career at junior club [[Liberton RFC|Liberton]], a team he captained at the age of 18,<ref>{{cite web
  | title = He was all heart and deserving of all the accolades that came his way
  | work = [[The Scotsman]]
  | date = 2007-10-02
  | url = http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=1574132007
  }}
</ref>
He then moved to play for [[Boroughmuir RFC|Boroughmuir]].

He helped Boroughmuir win the [[Scottish Unofficial Championship]] in 1973; and was still in their side when they won the [[Melrose Sevens]] in 1976.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/bruce-hay-394346.html|title = Bruce Hay|date = 20 October 2011}}</ref>

===Provincial career===

While still at Liberton he was capped by [[Edinburgh District (rugby union)|Edinburgh District]]. This was an astonishing feat for a junior club player and his tough tackling reputation was sealed.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Obituaries - Bruce Hay
  | work = [[The Scotsman]]
  | date = 2007-10-02
  | url = http://news.scotsman.com/obituaries.cfm?id=1571392007
  }}
</ref> He carried on representing the district when he moved to Boroughmuir.

===International career===

It was when Hay moved to [[Boroughmuir RFC|Boroughmuir]] in 1972 that he went on to gain international recognition.

He gained 23 international caps for [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]]<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Bruce Hay - Scotland Rugby Player
  | publisher = Sporting Heroes
  | date = 2007-10-01
  | url = http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=789
  }}
</ref> and also represented the [[British and Irish Lions]] on both their 1977 and 1980 tours, and the [[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]].

====Stats====

*'''International debut''': 14 June 1975 v New Zealand in Auckland. Lost 24-0
*'''Final appearance''': 20 June 1981 v New Zealand in Auckland. Lost 40-15
*'''Scotland''': Caps: 23. Tries: 3
*'''Lions Tests''': 3 (on 1980 South Africa tour). Tries: 1 (v South Africa)

==Death==
He was diagnosed with a [[brain tumour]] in 2005 and died on 1 October 2007, aged 57.<ref>{{cite news
  | title = Rugby pays tribute to Bruce Hay
  | publisher = [[BBC Sport]]
  | date = 2007-10-01
  | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/scottish/7022690.stm
  }}
</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080829145925/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/article2647927.ece Obituary] in ''[[The Times]]'', 13 October 2007

{{British and Irish Lions 1977}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1980}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hay, Bruce Hamilton}}
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:Neurological disease deaths in Scotland]]
[[Category:Deaths from brain cancer in Scotland]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Scottish rugby union players]]
[[Category:Scotland international rugby union players]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Scotland]]
[[Category:Barbarian F.C. players]]
[[Category:Rugby union fullbacks]]
[[Category:Boroughmuir RFC players]]
[[Category:People educated at Liberton High School]]
[[Category:Liberton RFC players]]
[[Category:Edinburgh District (rugby union) players]]

{{Scotland-rugbyunion-bio-1950s-stub}}