Bill McLaren memorial in Calcutta Cup week

THE memorial celebration of Bill McLaren's life is to be held at Murrayfield Stadium, the international ground he revered, two days before Scotland play England in this year's RBS Six Nations Championship.

McLaren, who died last week at the age of 86, regarded the iconic Edinburgh stadium as "his second home" having spent the early part of his life hoping he might one day grace the turf as a Scotland internationalist and, after having that dream dashed, spending much of the last 50 years commentating on the stadium's greatest rugby moments.

The SRU and McLaren's family had discussed ideas on what format his memorial might take, and after his family agreed that Murrayfield would be a fitting venue, the Scottish Rugby Board rubber-stamped the move at its meeting in Glasgow yesterday.

The event will take place at the stadium on Thursday 11 March, beginning at 6.30pm, with the Calcutta Cup match on the following Saturday. Some of McLaren's most famous commentaries were at Calcutta Cups, notably in 1976 when his son-in-law to be Alan Lawson famously scored twice in a 22-12 win, and in 1990 when his former pupil Tony Stanger scored the crucial try as Scotland defeated the "Auld Enemy" 13-7 to win the Grand Slam.

The SRU has been inundated with interest in the memorial service and the indications are that several thousand people will turn up on the day, which is why the family and the SRU have chosen Murrayfield to host what promises to be a unique occasion.

Linda Lawson, McLaren's daughter, said: "As a family, we have been overwhelmed by the kindness of so many people who dad reached in some way, and we are keen to make the event a celebration of dad's life and the things that he loved.

"We also want to make it as accessible as possible so we thought an evening event at Murrayfield, which dad regarded as his second home, would work well. And as it's two days before the Calcutta Cup match, we hope that the date will enable supporters from outwith Scotland to come along too."

Details of the tribute will be finalised in the next few weeks but the family, the union and the BBC are working together on a programme that will include McLaren's great commentaries, tributes from leading figures in world rugby, and also McLaren's favourite music.