Robert Neilson
Scotland international rugby union player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Neilson (17 November 1874 – 16 July 1945[1][2]) was a Scotland international rugby union player.[3][4]
| Born | Robert Thomson Neilson 17 November 1878 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Died | 16 July 1945 (aged 66) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 44th President of the Scottish Rugby Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1923–1924 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Herbert Dixon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Robert Campbell MacKenzie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby Union career
Amateur career
He also played for West of Scotland FC.[3][5]
Provincial career
He was capped for Glasgow District in 1898.[5]
International career
He was capped six times for Scotland between 1898 and 1900.[3][6]
Administrative career
He was President of the Scottish Rugby Union for the period 1923 to 1924.[7]
Family
His father was James Neilson, an Ironmaster and second cousin of Walter Montgomerie Neilson and his mother was Jane Thomson, daughter of George Thomson, the famous Glasgow shipbuilder. He attended Merchiston Castle School. An engineer by profession he was a director of the Summerlee Iron Company Ltd.[1]
He was the brother of George, Gordon and Willie Neilson who were also capped for Scotland.[3] In 1891, he made his debut, along with his brother George in the game against Wales – it is the only time that brothers have debuted together for Scotland, with the exception of the joint debut of Gavin and Scott Hastings.[8] One of the four Neilson brothers played in each of the twenty five matches between Willie and George's debut in 1891, until 1899, when Robert had to withdraw from the Calcutta Cup line-up after breaking his nose.[8] Robert played another match in 1900.[3]
Along with his brothers, Willie and George, he was a president of the Scottish Rugby Union. At the time of his death, he was Scotland's sole representative on the International Board of Rugby.[1]
