Louis Moritz Speirs
Encyclopedia
Louis Moritz Speirs was a Scottish rugby union
international who played ten times for his country and was part of the first official British and Irish Lions
team that toured South Africa in 1910
.
, Scotland
, the son of Ebenezer B Speirs, the Minister of Glendevon Parish and his wife Marie, who had been born in Ronilly, West Prussia
.
Between 1891 and 1901 his father died and the family moved to Edinburgh Morningside. Here, the young Moritz, as he was referred to, went to school.
, originally the club for the old boys of George Watson's College
. He was part of the clubest historically greatest side that won five Scottish Club Championships between 1908 and 1914. In the 1909/10 season he was a member of the team that was undefeated against Scottish opposition during that entire season. Speirs made his Test debut for Scotland vs South Africa at Glasgow on November 17, 1906. He played in a further 9 matches for his country between 1906 and 1910 all of which were in the Five Nations
tournament. His last Test being a Calcutta Cup
match against England at Inverleith on March 19, 1910. In 1910 he was selected for the first official British
tour to South Africa
(in that it was sanctioned and selected by the four Home Nations official governing bodies).
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...
international who played ten times for his country and was part of the first official British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
team that toured South Africa in 1910
1910 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1910 British Isles tour to South Africa was the eighth tour by a British Isles team and the fourth to South Africa. It is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950. As well as South Africa, the tour included a game in...
.
Early life
Louis Moritz Speirs was born on 23 October 1885 in Glendevon, PerthshirePerthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, 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...
, the son of Ebenezer B Speirs, the Minister of Glendevon Parish and his wife Marie, who had been born in Ronilly, West Prussia
West Prussia
West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...
.
Between 1891 and 1901 his father died and the family moved to Edinburgh Morningside. Here, the young Moritz, as he was referred to, went to school.
Rugby career
Speirs played for the Watsonians Football ClubWatsonians RFC
Watsonian Football Club is a rugby union club based in Edinburgh and part of the Scottish Rugby Union. The club is connected with George Watson's College as a club for former pupils, but now accepts players who did not attend the school...
, originally the club for the old boys of George Watson's College
George Watson's College
George Watson's College, known informally as Watson's, is a co-educational independent day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a hospital school in 1741, became a day school in 1871 and was merged with its sister school...
. He was part of the clubest historically greatest side that won five Scottish Club Championships between 1908 and 1914. In the 1909/10 season he was a member of the team that was undefeated against Scottish opposition during that entire season. Speirs made his Test debut for Scotland vs South Africa at Glasgow on November 17, 1906. He played in a further 9 matches for his country between 1906 and 1910 all of which were in the 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....
tournament. His last Test being 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 at Inverleith on March 19, 1910. In 1910 he was selected for the first official British
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
tour to South Africa
1910 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1910 British Isles tour to South Africa was the eighth tour by a British Isles team and the fourth to South Africa. It is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950. As well as South Africa, the tour included a game in...
(in that it was sanctioned and selected by the four Home Nations official governing bodies).