THE RUGBY world is paying tribute to Scotland hero Scott Hastings after his sad passing.
Hastings died at the age of 61 after a battle with non-Hodgkins’ lymphoma.
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BBC legend Brian Moore paid tribute to Scott Hastings during a live show Credit: BBC
Moore and Hastings were on the same victorious Lions team in 1989 Credit: Getty
Scott – the brother of another Scotland great, Gavin, and the uncle of current international, Adam – passed away on the day of late wife Jenny’s birthday, almost two years after she died.
He won 65 caps for his country and was a key part of the 1990 Grand Slam winning team and also made his mark with the British & Irish Lions nefore turning his hand to commentary after retiring from playing.
Heartfelt words have flooded in from Scotland rugby head coach Gregor Townsend, First Minister John Swinney and his former club team, Watsonians.
Meanwhile Brian Moore, a former team mate of Hastings and a fellow commentator, had the difficult task of paying tribute to his friend live on air for the BBC.
Moore was on duty for the coverage of England vs France in the Women‘s Six Nations when the sad news filtered through.
He struggled to hold back the tears in an emotional obituary that viewers praised him for.
Moore said: “I got to know Scott Hastings well on two Lions tours. He was a room mate of mine on several occasions.
“The man I got to know very well was a man of huge integrity, honesty and empathy.
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“As a testament to any human being’s legacy that’s all that you can say.
“As a player, his partnership with Jeremy Guscott was seminal in beating Australia in 1989 and the one thing that you always got with Scott was that, in extremis, or when you were on top, that he would give nothing less than his very best.
“It didn’t mean to say that he always got it right but you knew he would never let you down for effort.
“Those of you who did know Scott know what we’ve lost.
“Those of you in the wider rugby world who didn’t know him, let me just say that rugby is much the poorer for his passing but very much the better for his being.”
Watching back home, one viewer said on social media: “Just saw Brian Moore on TV saying his piece and losing it.”
Another said: “Beautiful words from Brian Moore about the sad passing of Scott Hastings. Not easy at Red Roses half time but so appropriate.”
Moore found it tough to keep it together Credit: BBC
Hastings was popular for his commentary as well as his playing style Credit: PA
A third commented: “Brian Moore somehow, just, keeping it together with a very moving tribute to the late Scott Hastings. Heck of a player, Hastings. One of the very best.
“A great loss to rugby in general and Scottish rugby in particular.”
While a fourth said: “That tribute to Scott Hastings from Brian Moore was absolutely spot on.”
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