Bill McLaren was born in 1923 in Hawick. He initially hoped to play rugby for Scotland as a flank-forward, but was prevented from doing so by illness. He instead became a teacher of physical education, coaching some of the great players; Colin Deans and Jim Renwick were two of his star pupils. Bill McLaren was television's voice of rugby for 50 years, earning world-wide recognition and great respect. He retired from the BBC in the summer of 2002.
