View source for Jim Telfer

{{short description|British Lions & Scotland international rugby union player}}
{{distinguish|James Telfer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name            = Jim Telfer
| image           =
| birth_name      = James Telfer
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1940|3|17}}
| birth_place     = [[Melrose, Scotland|Melrose]], [[Scotland]]
| height          = {{convert|1.88|m|ftin|abbr=off}}
| weight          = {{convert|94|kg|stlb lb}} <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lionsrugby.com/player/?PlayGuid=JT961751#profile|title = History > Player Archive > #443 Jim Telfer |website=www.lionsrugby.com |access-date=30 April 2022}}</ref>
| ru_position     = [[Number eight (rugby union)|Number eight]]
| ru_currentclub  = 
| repteam1        = [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]]
| repteam2        = [[British and Irish Lions|British Lions]]
| repcaps1        = 22
| repcaps2        = 6
| reppoints1      = (?)
| ru_ntupdate     = 1 March 2009
| repyears1       = 1964-70
| repyears2       = 1966-68
| provinceyears1  = 1959-71
| provinceyears2  = 1962
| province1       = [[South of Scotland District (rugby union)|South of Scotland District]]
| province2       = [[Provinces District (rugby union)|Provinces District]]
| provinceapps1   = 
| provincepoints1 = 
| amatyears1      = 19??-1974
| ru_amupdate     = 24 July 2007
| amatteam1       = [[Melrose RFC]]
| coachyears1     = 1980–1984
| coachyears2     = 1988–1993
| coachyears3     = 1993–1995
| coachyears4     = 1995-1998
| coachyears5     = 1998-1999
| coachyears6     = 1999–2003
| coachyears7     = 1983,1997
| coachteams1     = [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]]
| coachteams2     = Scotland ''(Assistant coach)''
| coachteams3     = Scotland
| coachteams4     = Scotland ''(Director of Rugby)''
| coachteams5     = Scotland
| coachteams6     = Scotland ''(Assistant coach)''
| coachteams7     = [[British and Irish Lions|British Lions]]
| ru_coach        = 
| occupation      = Retired rugby union coach
| university      = [[Moray House School of Education]] 
}}

'''James Telfer''' (born 17 March 1940) is a Scottish former [[rugby union]] coach and player. As a player, he won 21 international caps in the amateur era, also having a career as a headmaster at [[Hawick High School]] and [[Galashiels Academy]] and Forrester High School as a chemistry teacher. With [[Ian McGeechan|Sir Ian McGeechan]] he had success with both the [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland national team]] and the [[British and Irish Lions|British Lions]].

==Playing career==
Telfer played for [[Melrose RFC]] and was still a student when he was first selected for international duties.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.world.rugby/video/677463/jersey-tales-jim-telfer |title=Jim Telfer |publisher=[[World Rugby]] |date=29 October 2021 |access-date=30 April 2022}}</ref> He later worked as a chemistry teacher.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbyworld.com/rugby-positions/no-8s/jim-telfer-67120 |title=Rugby Positions: No 8s: Jim Telfer |publisher=Rugby World |date=17 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821163049/http://www.rugbyworld.com/rugby-positions/no-8s/jim-telfer-67120 |archive-date=21 August 2016}}</ref> His first cap came against France at Murrayfield on 4 January 1964.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=moNAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r6MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3254%2C626981 |title=Scots open season with victory |first=John |last=Downie |work=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]]|location=Glasgow |date=6 January 1964 |page=15 |access-date=13 March 2017}}</ref> His last match for Scotland was on 28 February 1970 at Lansdowne Road against Ireland.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0ZRAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2171%2C49218 |title=Scottish revival not enough to atone for earlier blunders |first=Bill |last=McMurtrie |work=The Herald|location=Glasgow |date=2 March 1970 |page=5|access-date=13 March 2017}}</ref>

Telfer gained twenty one caps for Scotland, and, but for injury, might have gained more. [[Allan Massie]] wrote of him:

:''"Telfer is a man of innate authority. (There's a wealth of quiet reserve and self-knowledge, touched by that form of self-mockery which appears as under-statement, in the way he will describe himself as being a 'dominant personality')''"<ref name=Massie1>Massie, p189</ref>

Telfer played back row for [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]] and for the [[British and Irish Lions|British Lions]] in 1966 and 1968. He was impressed and heavily influenced by New Zealand rugby.<ref name=Massie1/> After a [[cartilage]] operation he slowed up.<ref name=Massie1/> He played 23 games for the [[British and Irish Lions|British Lions]] on their [[1966 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand|1966 tour to Australia and New Zealand]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lionsrugby.com/history1/players.php?player=15915&includeref=dynamic#.WMcmgRica8U |title=Player archive: Jim Teller |publisher=[[British and Irish Lions]] |access-date=13 March 2017}}</ref> and 11 games on their [[1968 British Lions tour to South Africa|1968 tour to South Africa]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lionsrugby.com/history1/players.php?player=15915&includeref=dynamic#.WMcmgRica8U |title=Player archive: Jim Teller |publisher=British and Irish Lions |access-date=13 March 2017}}</ref>

Between 1963 and 1967, he played 8 times for the [[Barbarians FC|Barbarians]], scoring six points.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barbarianfc.co.uk/archive/profile/3864/j-w-telfer/ |title=Player Archive - J. W. Telfer |publisher=[[Barbarians FC]] |access-date=13 March 2017}}</ref>

[[George Crerar]] said of him "The great thing about Jim Telfer is that he makes sure that if he isn't going to win the ball the other side won't get it either.''"<ref>Massie, p190</ref>

==Coaching career==
Telfer was head coach to the British Lions on [[1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand|their tour of New Zealand in 1983]]. He was assistant coach, with particular responsibility for the forwards, on the [[1997 British Lions tour to South Africa]], where he made his well-known motivational 'Everest' speech to the forwards before the 1st Test.<ref>{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/rugby-union/40272226|title = Living With Lions documentary: Telfer's famous 'Everest' speech in 1997|work = BBC Sport|date=20 June 2017|access-date=8 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lionsrugby.com/2016/06/21/on-this-day-telfers-speech-and-dawsons-dummy-down-the-springboks/|title = On This Day: Telfer's speech and Dawson's dummy down the Springboks|date = 20 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.the42.ie/living-with-lions-duncan-humphreys-3450295-Jun2017/|title = 'BOD shook my hand and said, 'Thank you very much, you've given me a career!'}}</ref>

Telfer coached Scotland to the Grand Slam in 1984 and, as assistant to Ian McGeechan, to his second Grand Slam in 1990. In his third term as head coach from 1998 to 1999, Scotland won the final Five Nations Championship.

In 2014 he was coaching the Melrose RFC Under-18 team – [https://web.archive.org/web/20130903141447/http://www.melroserugby.bordernet.co.uk/index.php?page=fixtures-wasps Melrose Wasps].<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/29946236|title= 'My best rugby is still to come' |first=Jamie |last=Lyall|work = BBC Sport |date=7 November 2014 |access-date=30 April 2022}}</ref>

Telfer has been open about copying some New Zealand approaches to the game.<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/>

=== Coaching statistics ===
=== Scotland (1981–1984) ===
==== International matches as head coach ====
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%"
!colspan=7|Matches (1981–1984)
|-
!Matches
!Date
!Opposition
!Venue
!Score<br /><small>(Sco.–Opponent)</small>
!Competition
!Captain
|-
! colspan=7|1981
|-
| align=center|'''1''' || 17 January || {{nrut|France}} || [[Parc des Princes]], [[Paris]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|9–16 || rowspan=4|[[1981 Five Nations Championship|1981 Five Nations]] || rowspan=8|[[Andy Irvine (rugby union)|Andy Irvine]]
|-
| align=center|'''2''' || 7 February || {{nrut|Wales}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|15–6 
|-
| align=center|'''3''' || 21 February || {{nrut|England}} || [[Twickenham]], [[London]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|17–23
|-
| align=center|'''4''' || 21 March || {{nrut|Ireland}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|10–9
|-
| align=center|'''5''' || 13 June || rowspan=2|{{nrut|New Zealand}} || [[Carisbrook]], [[Dunedin]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|4–11 || rowspan=2|[[1981 Scotland rugby union tour of New Zealand|1981 tour]]
|-
| align=center|'''6''' || 20 June || [[Eden Park]], [[Auckland]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|15–40
|-
| align=center|'''7''' || 26 September || {{nrut|Romania}} || rowspan=2|[[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|12–6 || [[1981 Romania rugby union tour of Scotland|Romania tour]]
|-
| align=center|'''8''' || 19 December || {{nrut|Australia}} || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|24–15 || [[1981–82 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland|Australia tour]]
|-
! colspan=7|1982
|-
| align=center|'''9''' || 16 January || {{nrut|England}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFFFCC|9–9 || rowspan=4|[[1982 Five Nations Championship|1982 Five Nations]] || rowspan=6|[[Andy Irvine (rugby union)|Andy Irvine]]
|-
| align=center|'''10''' || 20 February || {{nrut|Ireland}} || [[Lansdowne Road]], [[Dublin]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|12–21
|-
| align=center|'''11''' || 6 March || {{nrut|France}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|16–7
|-
| align=center|'''12''' || 20 March || {{nrut|Wales}} || [[Arms Park]], [[Cardiff]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|34–18
|-
| align=center|'''13''' || 4 July || rowspan=2|{{nrut|Australia}} || [[Ballymore Stadium]], [[Brisbane]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|12–7 || rowspan=2|[[1982 Scotland rugby union tour of Australia|1982 tour]]
|-
| align=center|'''14''' || 10 July || [[Sydney Cricket Ground]], [[Sydney]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|9–33
|-
! colspan=7|1983
|-
| align=center|'''15''' || 15 January || {{nrut|Ireland}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|13–15 || rowspan=4|[[1983 Five Nations Championship|1983 Five Nations]] || rowspan=3|[[Roy Laidlaw]]
|-
| align=center|'''16''' || 5 February || {{nrut|France}} || [[Parc des Princes]], [[Paris]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|15–19
|-
| align=center|'''17''' || 19 February || {{nrut|Wales}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|15–19
|-
| align=center|'''18''' || 5 March || {{nrut|England}} || [[Twickenham]], [[London]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|22–12 || rowspan=2|[[Jim Aitken]]
|-
| align=center|'''19''' || 12 November || {{nrut|New Zealand}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFFFCC|25–25 || [[1983 New Zealand rugby union tour of Scotland and England|New Zealand tour]]
|-
! colspan=7|1984
|-
| align=center|'''20''' || 21 January || {{nrut|Wales}} || [[Arms Park]], [[Cardiff]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|15–9 || rowspan=4|[[1984 Five Nations Championship|1984 Five Nations]] || rowspan=5|[[Jim Aitken]]
|-
| align=center|'''21''' || 4 February || {{nrut|England}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|18–6
|-
| align=center|'''22''' || 3 March || {{nrut|Ireland}} || [[Lansdowne Road]], [[Dublin]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|32–9
|-
| align=center|'''23''' || 17 March || {{nrut|France}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|21–12
|-
| align=center|'''24''' || 20 May || {{nrut|Romania}} || [[Stadionul Dinamo]], [[Bucharest]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|22–28 || [[Test match (rugby union)|Test match]]
|-
| align=center|'''25''' || 8 December || {{nrut|Australia}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|12–37 || [[1984 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland|Australia tour]] || [[Roy Laidlaw]]
|}

==== Record by country ====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Opponent
! Played
! Won
! Drew
! Lost
! Win ratio (%)
! For
! Against
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|AUS}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|4|2|0|2}}
| 57
| 92
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|ENG}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|4|2|1|1}}
| 66
| 50
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|FRA}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|4|2|0|2}}
| 61
| 54
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|IRE}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|4|2|0|2}}
| 67
| 54
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|NZL}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|3|0|1|2}}
| 44
| 76
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|ROM}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|2|1|0|1}}
| 34
| 34
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|WAL}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|4|3|0|1}}
| 79
| 52
|-
! TOTAL
{{WDLtot|decimals=0|25|12|2|11}}
! 408
! 412
|}

=== Scotland (1993–1995, 1998–1999) ===

The period 1995–98 saw Telfer promoted as director of rugby for the [[Scottish Rugby Union]]. [[Richie Dixon]] was the head coach of the Scotland National team during this time. Telfer stepped in as head coach of Scotland when Dixon quit in 1998.

==== International matches as head coach ====
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%"
!colspan=7|Matches (1993–1995, 1998–99)
|-
!Matches
!Date
!Opposition
!Venue
!Score<br /><small>(Sco.–Opponent)</small>
!Competition
!Captain
|-
! colspan=7|1993
|-
| align=center|'''1''' || 20 November || {{nrut|New Zealand}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|15–51 || [[1993 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain|New Zealand tour]] || [[Gavin Hastings]]
|-
! colspan=7|1994
|-
| align=center|'''2''' || 15 January || {{nrut|Wales}} || [[Arms Park]], [[Cardiff]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|6–29 || rowspan=4|[[1994 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations]] || rowspan=4|[[Gavin Hastings]]
|-
| align=center|'''3''' || 5 February || {{nrut|England}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|14–15
|-
| align=center|'''4''' || 5 March || {{nrut|Ireland}} || [[Lansdowne Road]], [[Dublin]] || align=center bgcolor=FFFFCC|6–6
|-
| align=center|'''5''' || 19 March || {{nrut|France}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|12–20
|-
| align=center|'''6''' || 4 June || rowspan=2|{{nrut|Argentina}} || rowspan=2|[[Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverri]], [[Buenos Aires]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|15–16 || rowspan=2|[[1994 Scotland rugby union tour of Argentina|Argentina tour]] || rowspan=2|[[Andy Reed (rugby union)|Andy Reed]]
|-
| align=center|'''7''' || 11 June || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|17–19
|-
| align=center|'''8''' || 19 November || {{nrut|South Africa}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|10–34 || [[1994 South Africa rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland|South Africa tour]] || [[Gavin Hastings]]
|-
! colspan=7|1995
|-
| align=center|'''9''' || 21 January || {{nrut|Canada}} || rowspan=2|[[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|22–6 || Test match || rowspan=10|[[Gavin Hastings]]
|-
| align=center|'''10''' || 4 February || {{nrut|Ireland}} || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|26–13 || rowspan=4|[[1995 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations]]
|-
| align=center|'''11''' || 18 February || {{nrut|France}} || [[Parc des Princes]], [[Paris]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|23–21
|-
| align=center|'''12''' || 4 March || {{nrut|Wales}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|26–13
|-
| align=center|'''13''' || 18 March || {{nrut|England}} || [[Twickenham Stadium]], [[London]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|12–24
|-
| align=center|'''14''' || 22 April || {{nrut|Romania}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|49–16 || RWC Warm-up
|-
| align=center|'''15''' || 26 May || {{nrut|Ivory Coast}} || [[Olympia Park]], [[Rustenburg]], [[South Africa]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|89–0 || rowspan=4|[[1995 Rugby World Cup|World Cup]]
|-
| align=center|'''16''' || 30 May || {{nrut|Tonga}} || rowspan=3|[[Loftus Versfeld Stadium]], [[Pretoria]], [[South Africa]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|41–5
|-
| align=center|'''17''' || 3 June || {{nrut|France}} || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|19–22
|-
| align=center|'''18''' || 11 June || {{nrut|New Zealand}} || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|30–48
|-
! colspan=7|1998
|-
| align=center|'''19''' || 7 February || {{nrut|Ireland}} || [[Lansdowne Road]], [[Dublin]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|17–16 || rowspan=4|[[1998 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations]] || rowspan=4|[[Gary Armstrong (rugby)|Gary Armstrong]]
|-
| align=center|'''20''' || 21 February || {{nrut|France}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|16–51
|-
| align=center|'''21''' || 7 March || {{nrut|Wales}} || [[Wembley Stadium]], [[London]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|13–19
|-
| align=center|'''22''' || 22 March || {{nrut|England}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|20–34
|-
| align=center|'''23''' || 26 May || {{nrut|Fiji}} || [[ANZ National Stadium|National Stadium]], [[Suva]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|26–51 || rowspan=3|[[1998 Scotland rugby union tour of Oceania|Oceania tour]] || rowspan=3|[[Rob Wainwright (rugby union)|Rob Wainwright]]
|-
| align=center|'''24''' || 13 June || rowspan=2|{{nrut|Australia}} || [[Sydney Football Stadium (1988)|Sydney Football Stadium]], [[Sydney]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|3–45
|-
| align=center|'''25''' || 20 June || [[Lang Park]], [[Brisbane]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|11–33
|-
| align=center|'''26''' || 21 November || {{nrut|South Africa}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|10–35 || [[1998 South Africa rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland|South Africa tour]] || [[Bryan Redpath]]
|-
! colspan=7|1999
|-
| align=center|'''27''' || 6 February || {{nrut|Wales}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|33–20 || rowspan=2|[[1999 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations]] || rowspan=2|[[Gary Armstrong (rugby)|Gary Armstrong]]
|-
| align=center|'''28''' || 20 February || {{nrut|England}} || [[Twickenham Stadium]], [[London]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|21–24
|-
| align=center|'''29''' || 6 March || {{nrut|Italy}} || rowspan=2|[[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|30–12 || Test match || [[Eric Peters (rugby union)|Eric Peters]]
|-
| align=center|'''30''' || 20 March || {{nrut|Ireland}} || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|30–13 || rowspan=2|[[1999 Five Nations Championship|Five Nations]] || rowspan=6|[[Gary Armstrong (rugby)|Gary Armstrong]]
|-
| align=center|'''31''' || 10 April || {{nrut|France}} || [[Stade de France]], [[Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis|Saint-Denis]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|36–22
|-
| align=center|'''32''' || 21 August || {{nrut|Argentina}} || [[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|22–31 || rowspan=2|RWC Warm-up
|-
| align=center|'''33''' || 28 August || {{nrut|Romania}} || [[Hampden Park]], [[Glasgow]] || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|60–19
|-
| align=center|'''34''' || 3 October || {{nrut|South Africa}} || rowspan=5|[[Murrayfield Stadium]], [[Edinburgh]] || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|29–46 || rowspan=5|[[1999 Rugby World Cup|World Cup]]
|-
| align=center|'''35''' || 8 October || {{nrut|Uruguay}} || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|43–12
|-
| align=center|'''36''' || 16 October || {{nrut|Spain}} || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|48–0 || [[Bryan Redpath]]
|-
| align=center|'''37''' || 20 October || {{nrut|Samoa}} || align=center bgcolor=CCFFCC|35–20 || rowspan=2|[[Gary Armstrong (rugby)|Gary Armstrong]]
|-
| align=center|'''38''' || 24 October || {{nrut|New Zealand}} || align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC|18–30
|}

==== Record by country ====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Opponent
! Played
! Won
! Drew
! Lost
! Win ratio (%)
! For
! Against
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|ARG}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|3|0|0|3}}
| 54
| 64
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|AUS}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|2|0|0|2}}
| 14
| 78
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|CAN}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|1|1|0|0}}
| 22
| 6
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|ENG}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|4|0|0|4}}
| 67
| 97
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|FIJ}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|1|0|0|1}}
| 26
| 51
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|FRA}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|5|2|0|3}}
| 106
| 136
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|IRE}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|4|3|1|0}}
| 89
| 48
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|ITA}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|1|1|0|0}}
| 30
| 12
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|CIV}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|1|1|0|0}}
| 89
| 0
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|NZL}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|3|0|0|3}}
| 63
| 129
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|ROM}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|2|2|0|0}}
| 109
| 35
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|SAM}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|1|1|0|0}}
| 35
| 20
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|RSA}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|3|0|0|3}}
| 49
| 115
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|ESP}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|1|1|0|0}}
| 48
| 0
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|TGA}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|1|1|0|0}}
| 41
| 5
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|URU}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|1|1|0|0}}
| 43
| 12
|- align=center
| align=left|{{ru|WAL}}
{{WDL|decimals=0|4|2|0|2}}
| 78
| 81
|-
! TOTAL
{{WDLtot|decimals=0|38|16|1|21}}
! 963
! 889
|}

== Honours ==
In 2021, [[World Rugby]] inducted Telfer into its [[World Rugby Hall of Fame]], alongside [[Osea Kolinisau]], [[Humphrey Kayange]], [[Huriana Manuel]], [[Cheryl Soon|Cheryl McAfee]] and [[Will Carling]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=|title=Six legends to be inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame|url=https://www.world.rugby/news/668456?lang=en|access-date=2021-10-27|website=[[World Rugby]]}}</ref>

=== As a player ===
* '''{{nrut|Scotland}}'''
** '''[[Five Nations Championship]]'''
*** Winner: [[1964 Five Nations Championship|1964]]
*** [[Runner-up]]: [[1966 Five Nations Championship|1966]], [[1967 Five Nations Championship|1967]]
** '''[[Calcutta Cup]]'''
*** Winner: [[1964 Five Nations Championship|1964]], [[1965 Five Nations Championship|1965]], [[1966 Five Nations Championship|1966]]

=== As a coach ===
{{col-float}}
* '''{{nrut|Scotland}}''' 
** '''[[Five Nations Championship]]'''
*** Winner: [[1984 Five Nations Championship|1984]], [[1999 Five Nations Championship|1999]]
*** [[Grand Slam (rugby union)|Grand Slam]]: [[1984 Five Nations Championship|1984]]
*** Runner-up: [[1981 Five Nations Championship|1981]], [[1982 Five Nations Championship|1982]], [[1995 Five Nations Championship|1995]]
** '''[[Triple Crown (rugby union)|Triple Crown]]'''
*** Winner: [[1984 Five Nations Championship|1984]]
** '''[[Calcutta Cup]]'''
*** Winner: [[1983 Five Nations Championship|1983]], [[1984 Five Nations Championship|1984]]
** '''[[Centenary Quaich]]'''
*** Winner: [[1994 Five Nations Championship|1994]], [[1995 Five Nations Championship|1995]], [[1998 Five Nations Championship|1998]], [[1999 Five Nations Championship|1999]]

{{col-float-break}}
* '''{{nrut|Scotland}}''' (as assistant coach)
** '''[[Six Nations Championship|Five/Six Nations Championship]]'''
*** Winner: [[1990 Five Nations Championship|1990]]
*** [[Grand Slam (rugby union)|Grand Slam]]: [[1990 Five Nations Championship|1990]]
*** Runner-up: [[1989 Five Nations Championship|1989]], [[1992 Five Nations Championship|1992]], [[1993 Five Nations Championship|1993]]
** '''[[Triple Crown (rugby union)|Triple Crown]]'''
*** Winner: [[1990 Five Nations Championship|1990]]
** '''[[Calcutta Cup]]'''
*** Winner: [[1989 Five Nations Championship|1989]], [[1990 Five Nations Championship|1990]], [[2000 Six Nations Championship|2000]]
** '''[[Centenary Quaich]]'''
*** Winner: [[1989 Five Nations Championship|1989]], [[1990 Five Nations Championship|1990]], [[1991 Five Nations Championship|1991]], [[1992 Five Nations Championship|1992]], [[1993 Five Nations Championship|1993]], [[2001 Six Nations Championship|2001]]
{{col-float-end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* Bath, Richard (ed.) ''The Complete Book of Rugby'' (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 {{ISBN|1-86200-013-1}})
* Massie, Allan ''A Portrait of Scottish Rugby'' (Polygon, Edinburgh; {{ISBN|0-904919-84-6}})
* Telfer, Jim ''Jim Telfer: Looking Back... For Once'' (Mainstream Publishing, 2005, {{ISBN|1-84596-062-9}})

==External links==
* [http://sport.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=325&id=474202002 Jim Telfer] (The Scotsman)
* {{YouTube|id=Ve184BqyYU0#t=3m48s|title=Video Interview with Jim Telfer 3:48 -to- 4:48}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef| before = [[Nairn McEwan]] }}
{{s-ttl| title  = [[Scotland national rugby union team]] coach 
       | years  = 1980–1984}}
{{s-aft| after  = [[Colin Telfer]] }}
{{s-bef| before = [[Noel Murphy (rugby union, born 1937)|Noel Murphy]]}}
{{s-ttl| title  = [[British & Irish Lions|British Lions]] coach
       | years  = [[1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand|1983]]}}
{{s-aft| after  = [[Ian McGeechan]] }}
{{s-bef| before = [[Ian McGeechan]] }}
{{s-ttl| title  = [[Scotland national rugby union team]] coach
       | years  = 1993–1995}}
{{s-aft| after  = [[Richie Dixon]] }}
{{s-bef| before = [[Richie Dixon]] }}
{{s-ttl| title  = [[Scotland national rugby union team]] coach
       | years  = 1998–1999}}
{{s-aft| after  = [[Ian McGeechan]] }}
{{s-bef| before = [[Ian McGeechan]] }}
{{s-ttl| title  = [[British & Irish Lions|British Lions]] coach
       | years  = [[1997 British Lions tour to South Africa|1997]]}}
{{s-aft| after  = {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Graham Henry]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{British and Irish Lions 1966}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1968}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1983}}
{{Scotland Squad 1995 Rugby World Cup}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1997}}
{{Scotland Squad 1999 World Cup}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Telfer, Jim}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions coaches]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Scotland]]
[[Category:Melrose RFC players]]
[[Category:Provinces District (rugby union) players]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Melrose, Scottish Borders]]
[[Category:Scotland international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Scotland national rugby union team coaches]]
[[Category:Scottish rugby union coaches]]
[[Category:Scottish rugby union players]]
[[Category:Scottish schoolteachers]]
[[Category:South of Scotland District (rugby union) players]]
[[Category:Rugby union number eights]]
[[Category:World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees]]