John Jeffrey
Encyclopedia
John Jeffrey is a Scottish former internationalistrugby union
player. His nicknames are "The Great White Shark" and "JJ", the former because of his blond "thatch of hair".
Richard Bath has described him as "one of the most galvanising sights in Five Nations rugby
throughout the 1980s and early 1990s."
Jeffrey was educated at St Mary's School in Melrose
and Merchiston Castle School
. He won forty caps for Scotland between 1984 and 1991, making him, at the time, Scotland's most capped flanker
. He was also a British and Irish Lion with Scotland team mate Finlay Calder in 1989.
Jeffrey's "day job" was his Borders farm, of which he had only one regret: "If I stand on a hill I can see England."
on the tour to Australia in 1989.
In 1988, after playing football with the Calcutta Cup
along Princes Street
in Edinburgh
with England's
Dean Richards
, Jeffrey received a six-month ban from the Scottish Rugby Union
. Richards received just a one match sentence from the English Rugby Football Union
. The trophy was severely dented, and cost hundreds of pounds to repair.
During the 1990 Hong Kong Sevens
, Jeffrey played for the Scottish side
, but when they were knocked out, he went on to play for Wales
as they were suffering from too many injuries.
season of 1990 (he was the one who started the move from the scrum that led to Gavin Hastings
's famous kick to Tony Stanger
, sealing the victory against the English), Jeffrey had been a British Lion on the 1989 Tour of Australia
, ironically being kept out of the Test side by his national team-mates Finlay Calder
and Derek White, and Englishmen Mike Teague
who would suffer for this indignity in the famous Calcutta Cup
showdown a year later.
's Sportsound programme.
When interviewed he came up with the memorable comment: "Scoreboards do not lie!"
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...
player. His nicknames are "The Great White Shark" and "JJ", the former because of his blond "thatch of hair".
Richard Bath has described him as "one of the most galvanising sights in Five Nations rugby
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....
throughout the 1980s and early 1990s."
Jeffrey was educated at St Mary's School in Melrose
Melrose, Scotland
Melrose is a small town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders, historically in Roxburghshire. It is in the Eildon committee area.-Etymology:...
and Merchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School is an independent school for boys in the village of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has about 480 pupils and is open to boys between the ages of 8 and 18 as either boarders or day pupils; day pupils make up 35% of the school....
. He won forty caps for Scotland between 1984 and 1991, making him, at the time, Scotland's most capped flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
. He was also a British and Irish Lion with Scotland team mate Finlay Calder in 1989.
Jeffrey's "day job" was his Borders farm, of which he had only one regret: "If I stand on a hill I can see England."
Player
Invariably first to the breakdown point, first with the tackle, or first with an inspired counter, Jeffrey had the ability to score important tries, of which he scored 11, another Scottish record at the time, shared with back-row colleague Derek White. He was also a member of the British LionsBritish and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
on the tour to Australia in 1989.
In 1988, after playing football with the 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....
along Princes Street
Princes Street
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...
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...
with England's
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...
Dean Richards
Dean Richards (rugby player)
Dean Richards is a former England and British & Irish Lions rugby union player. He had a long playing career with Leicester Tigers, and played 48 times for England and six times for the British & Irish Lions.-Club career:...
, Jeffrey received a six-month ban from the Scottish Rugby Union
Scottish Rugby Union
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...
. Richards received just a one match sentence from the English Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
. The trophy was severely dented, and cost hundreds of pounds to repair.
During the 1990 Hong Kong Sevens
Hong Kong Sevens
The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby sevens—a variant of rugby union....
, Jeffrey played for the Scottish side
Scotland national rugby union team (sevens)
The Scottish national rugby union sevens team compete in the IRB Sevens World Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.During 2006, the side were in danger of no longer competing in the Sevens World Series due to the financial problems faced by the Scottish Rugby Union...
, but when they were knocked out, he went on to play for Wales
Wales national rugby union team (sevens)
The Wales national rugby union sevens team is the international rugby sevens side for Welsh rugby union players. They currently compete in the IRB Sevens World Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens and in the Commonwealth Games....
as they were suffering from too many injuries.
Scottish Grand Slam (1990)
He was an outstanding performer in the Grand SlamGrand 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...
season of 1990 (he was the one who started the move from the scrum that led to Gavin Hastings
Gavin Hastings
Andrew Gavin Hastings, OBE is a former Scotland rugby union player. He is frequently considered one of the best, if not the best, rugby player to come out of Scotland. His nickname is "Big Gav".Hastings was born in Edinburgh...
's famous kick to Tony Stanger
Tony Stanger
Anthony George Stanger is a former Scottish international rugby union player, and is Scotland's joint record try scorer....
, sealing the victory against the English), Jeffrey had been a British Lion on the 1989 Tour of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, ironically being kept out of the Test side by his national team-mates Finlay Calder
Finlay Calder
Finlay Calder is a Scottish former rugby union player.Born in Haddington, East Lothian and educated at Stewart's Melville College, Calder played at open side flanker and won 34 caps representing Scotland from 1986-91. He captained the British Lions tour to Australia in 1989...
and Derek White, and Englishmen Mike Teague
Mike Teague
Michael Clive Teague is a former England and British Lions rugby union footballer.-Early life:Teague was born and raised on a pig farm a few miles outside Gloucester...
who would suffer for this indignity in the famous 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....
showdown a year later.
Coach and commentator
Recently he has been involved in coaching the Scotland youth teams and commentating at rugby games on BBC Radio ScotlandBBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
's Sportsound programme.
When interviewed he came up with the memorable comment: "Scoreboards do not lie!"