George MacPherson
Encyclopedia
George MacPherson also known as GPS MacPherson was a Scottish
rugby union
footballer who played for Scotland
in 26 Tests between 1922 and 1932.
MacPherson was born in Newtonmore
in Badenoch
, Scotland
and attended Fettes College
in Edinburgh
. From there he attended Oxford University. It was at Oxford that his rugby talents saw him selected for Oxford University RFC
. It was from there he was first selected for Scotland in 1922 when he played in all four of Scotland's Five Nations
matches. He next played for Scotland in 1924, and scored his first international try
against Wales
on 2 February that year. He only played on other international that year—a Calcutta Cup
match against England national rugby union team
.
The following year MacPherson was selected as Scotland's captain. As captain, he took Scotland to their first ever Five Nations Grand Slam
—that is, wins over England, Wales, Ireland
and France
in one season. The first match of the season was against France at Inverleith
on 25 January. MacPherson was one of the most influential members of the team that eventually won 25–4. Scotland's next match was against Wales in which MacPherson also played. The match was played away in Swansea
and Scotland eventually won 24–14 after leading 24–5 at one point. MacPherson did not play against Ireland, where Scotland still won 14–8. MacPherson returned for Scotland's last match of the tournament against England. The match was played at Murrayfield Stadium
which had just been completed. It was played in front on 70,000 spectators. After trailing England 11–5, Scotland scored a try that involved several players, including MacPherson to reduce the deficit to 11–10. After a drop goal
Scotland took a 14–11 lead. They held their lead to win their first ever Grand Slam.
MacPherson continued to play for Scotland until the conclusion of the 1931/32 season. With Scotland he shared both the 1926 and 1927 Five Nations Championships with Ireland, and won the Championship outright in 1929. The only match he ever played against a touring southern hemisphere team was against South Africa
in 1932. MacPherson eventually became vice president of merchant bank
Kleinwort Benson
between 1961 and 1969. In 2001, MacPherson was selected in Scotland's all time greatest XV. He was also selected as Scotland's greatest ever attacking player. The selection was made via a poll conducted by Scottish Rugby Magazine and The Herald
. In 2002 he was also inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who played for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in 26 Tests between 1922 and 1932.
MacPherson was born in Newtonmore
Newtonmore
Newtonmore is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of about 1000. The village is only a few miles from a location that is claimed to be the exact geographical centre of Scotland...
in Badenoch
Badenoch
Badenoch is a traditional district which today forms part of Badenoch and Strathspey, an area of Highland Council, in Scotland, bounded on the north by the Monadhliath Mountains, on the east by the Cairngorms and Braemar, on the south by Atholl and the Grampians, and on the west by Lochaber...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and attended Fettes College
Fettes College
Fettes College is an independent school for boarding and day pupils in Edinburgh, Scotland with over two thirds of its pupils in residence on campus...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. From there he attended Oxford University. It was at Oxford that his rugby talents saw him selected for Oxford University RFC
Oxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
. It was from there he was first selected for Scotland in 1922 when he played in all four of Scotland's Five Nations
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
matches. He next played for Scotland in 1924, and scored his first international try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
on 2 February that year. He only played on other international that year—a Calcutta Cup
Calcutta Cup
The Calcutta Cup is a rugby union trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Six Nations Championship match between England and Scotland. It is currently England's since the 2009 Six Nations Championship....
match against England national rugby union team
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
.
The following year MacPherson was selected as Scotland's captain. As captain, he took Scotland to their first ever Five Nations Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
—that is, wins over England, Wales, Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
and France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
in one season. The first match of the season was against France at Inverleith
Inverleith
Inverleith is an inner suburb in the northern part of Edinburgh, Scotland, on the fringes of the central region of the city. It is an affluent suburb. Its neighbours include Trinity to the north and the New Town to the south, with Canonmills at the south-east and Stockbridge at the south-west...
on 25 January. MacPherson was one of the most influential members of the team that eventually won 25–4. Scotland's next match was against Wales in which MacPherson also played. The match was played away in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
and Scotland eventually won 24–14 after leading 24–5 at one point. MacPherson did not play against Ireland, where Scotland still won 14–8. MacPherson returned for Scotland's last match of the tournament against England. The match was played at Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
which had just been completed. It was played in front on 70,000 spectators. After trailing England 11–5, Scotland scored a try that involved several players, including MacPherson to reduce the deficit to 11–10. After a drop goal
Field goal (rugby)
A drop goal, also referred to as a dropped goal or field goal, is a method of scoring points in rugby union and rugby league. A drop goal cannot be scored in open play by punting the ball, and instead must be scored by drop kicking the ball over the crossbar and between the uprights. After the...
Scotland took a 14–11 lead. They held their lead to win their first ever Grand Slam.
MacPherson continued to play for Scotland until the conclusion of the 1931/32 season. With Scotland he shared both the 1926 and 1927 Five Nations Championships with Ireland, and won the Championship outright in 1929. The only match he ever played against a touring southern hemisphere team was against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in 1932. MacPherson eventually became vice president of merchant bank
Merchant bank
A merchant bank is a financial institution which provides capital to companies in the form of share ownership instead of loans. A merchant bank also provides advisory on corporate matters to the firms they lend to....
Kleinwort Benson
Kleinwort Benson
Kleinwort Benson is a leading Private Bank that offers a wide range of financial services to private and corporate clients from offices throughout the United Kingdom and Channel Islands. The bank has its headquarters on St George Street in Mayfair, and is supported by seven UK regional and two...
between 1961 and 1969. In 2001, MacPherson was selected in Scotland's all time greatest XV. He was also selected as Scotland's greatest ever attacking player. The selection was made via a poll conducted by Scottish Rugby Magazine and The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
. In 2002 he was also inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
The Scottish Sports Hall of Fame is the national sports hall of fame in Scotland, initiated on St Andrew's Day 2001. It is a joint project organised by sportscotland, the national governmental body for Scottish sport, and the National Museums of Scotland. It is also funded by BBC Scotland and...
.