John Beattie (rugby union) facts for kids
| Birth name | John Ross Beattie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 27 November 1957 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | North Borneo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Johnnie Beattie (son) Jen Beattie (daughter) |
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| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Ross Beattie (born 27 November 1957) is a Scottish broadcaster and a former professional rugby union player. He is well-known for his exciting rugby career and later became a popular voice on radio and TV.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Beattie was born on November 27, 1957, in North Borneo (which is now part of Malaysia). His parents were Scottish, and his father managed a rubber farm there. John went to boarding school in Penang, Malaysia. When he was eleven, his family moved back to Scotland. He then attended the Glasgow Academy.
Later, he studied at the University of Glasgow. He earned a degree in Civil Engineering, which is about designing and building things like roads and bridges.
John Beattie's Rugby Career
John Beattie played rugby in several teams and at different levels. He was a strong player, often playing as a Flanker or Number Eight.
Playing for Local Teams
Before becoming a professional, John played for school teams in Glasgow. He also played for local clubs like Glasgow Academicals and Heriot's.
He also represented the Glasgow District team. In 1986, he played for the Combined Scottish Districts team against the South of Scotland team.
Playing for Scotland
John Beattie earned his first international cap for Scotland on February 2, 1980. He was 22 years old when he played against Ireland at Lansdowne Road. He went on to play for Scotland a total of 25 times.
He also played for the Scotland 'B' team twice in 1980.
British Lions Tours
John was chosen to tour with the British Lions team twice. This is a very special team made up of the best players from the UK and Ireland.
- In 1980, he toured South Africa.
- In 1983, he toured New Zealand.
He played in one "test cap" match during these tours. He also played for the Lions against a team called 'the Rest' in 1986.
Captain and Injury
In 1987, John Beattie was the captain for Scotland during a pre-season tour to Spain. That same year, he scored a try (like a touchdown in American football) in matches against France and Wales.
His first try for Scotland was against France on March 7, 1987. Later, in a match against England, he had to leave the game early because of a knee injury. This injury was serious and stopped him from playing in the first-ever Rugby World Cup. He never played for Scotland again after that, and the injury ended his playing career.
Coaching Rugby
After his playing days, John Beattie also spent some time coaching rugby.
- He was an assistant coach for Glasgow Academicals.
- He coached Biggar for the 2004–05 season.
- He also coached West of Scotland, helping them move up through different divisions.
Broadcasting and Journalism
After retiring from rugby, John Beattie changed careers. He first became a chartered accountant. Then, in 1995, he started working in broadcasting.
He is now a well-known commentator and presenter for rugby on TV and radio. He hosts a lunchtime show on BBC Radio Scotland where he discusses news and current events. He also co-hosts Sport Nation, a sports show on both radio and TV.
John also writes about rugby. He has a rugby blog on the BBC's website and has written for newspapers like The Herald and the Sunday Herald. He also wrote for the Scottish Rugby Magazine.
In 2003, John Beattie led a special group for the Scottish government. This group worked to improve the health of people in Scotland through exercise. They reviewed their progress in 2008.
Since 2019, John has been a presenter on BBC Scotland's news program, The Nine. In 2024, he also started presenting news for Reporting Scotland.
Personal Life
John Beattie's family has a strong connection to sports.
- His son, Johnnie, is also a Scottish international rugby player. He has played for Scotland 38 times since 2006.
- One of his daughters, Jen, is a professional football player. She plays for the Scotland women's national team, with over 100 games played. She also plays for Arsenal and used to play for Celtic F.C. Women.
In 2004, John Beattie was a candidate to become the Rector of the University of Glasgow. This is a special role that represents the students.
He has also received special honors from universities:
- In 2015, Abertay University gave him an honorary doctorate.
- One year later, he received another honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow.
