Bill MacLagan

Bill Maclagan

Maclagan in Scotland jersey
Full name	William Edward Maclagan
Date of birth	(1858-04-05)5 April 1858
Place of birth	Edinburgh, Scotland
Date of death	10 October 1926(1926-10-10) (aged 68)
School	Edinburgh Academy
Occupation(s)	stockbroker
Rugby union career
Position(s) Three-quarters Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1876–1880 1880–1891 Edinburgh Academicals London Scottish F.C. () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1878–1890 1891 Scotland British Isles 25 3 ((2) (1))

William Edward "Bill" Maclagan (5 April 1858 – 10 October 1926) was a Scottish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for London Scottish F.C.. Maclagan was one of the longest-serving international rugby players during the early development of the sport, and was awarded 25 caps for Scotland.

He played international rugby for thirteen seasons, a Scottish record for sixty years, and led the first official British Isles team on its 1891 tour of South Africa. Maclagan's contributions to the early development of rugby were recognised in 2009 with his induction into the IRB Hall of Fame.

Maclagan was educated at the Edinburgh Academy (1869–1875), and on leaving joined the Edinburgh Academical rugby club. It was as an Academical player that Maclagan was first chosen to represent the Scotland national team. Although he would later play his rugby at three-quarter, Maclagan was placed at fullback when chosen to face England in 1878. The next season Maclagan was again selected at fullback, and after a win against Ireland, in only the second encounter between the two countries; Maclagan again faced England in the very first challenge for the Calcutta Cup. The England game was a dull 3–3 draw, but Maclagan was deemed to have served his team with outstanding play. He tackled bravely throughout the match, upsetting numerous English attacks.

After playing two more games at fullback in 1880, Maclagan was switched into the three-quarter position and along with Ninian Finlay and John Campbell he became a part of the first three three-quarter line in international rugby. Maclagan continued at three-quarters, and after facing England and Ireland in both the 1880–81 and 1881–82 seasons he was selected for the first Scottish international with Wales as part of the inaugural Home Nations Championship in 1883. The Welsh team were beaten by three goals to nil, with Maclagan converting all three tries to earn himself his first international scores. Maclagan was on the score sheet again the next match when he converted one of the tries in a victory over Ireland, but was part of a losing Scottish team when they were beaten by England in the Triple Crown and Championship decider.