Scottish rugby mourns sudden passing of former union secretary Bill Hogg - 'a great rugby man of the old tradition'

SCOTTISH rugby was saddened yesterday by the sudden death of Bill Hogg, one of the central characters in the union across the last 40 years.

Hogg, the former Scottish Rugny Union secretary, had fully recovered from cancer only three years ago, but suffered a brain haemorrhage at the weekend and passed away at his Edinburgh home, aged 70.

He had retired from his SRU post in 2005, but remained committed to the sport, as the honorary administrator of the SRU's injured players' charity, the Murrayfield Centenary Fund, referee of school matches at George Watson's College in Edinburgh up until the end of last year and a general support to officials at the SRU and across rugby organisations.

Andy Irvine, the former Scotland full-back and SRU president, said: "My first thoughts are with Bill's wife and family.

"Bill has been an institution in Scottish rugby for many, many years.

"I came across him first as a player. He succeeded John Law as secretary and I worked very closely with him in my year of office as president.

"You could not get a more helpful, experienced and informative individual. I had great admiration for his interest in the game. It wasn't just his duties as secretary.

"He refereed every Saturday morning down at Myreside come rain, hail or shine. He didn't move much from the centre of the pitch in his latter years but his love of the game shone through. He was just a really great rugby man of the old tradition."

A Chartered Accountant, Hogg was a member of the Watsonian club, from which he refereed at senior club level for many years.

He joined the SRU as treasurer in 1978-79 and succeeded Law as secretary in 1983.

He held the additional post of chief executive from 1992 until 1998, overseeing the historic change in the sport from amateur to professional rugby, which he famously declared, and later laughed about, would never happen.

He was Scotland team secretary from 1983 to 1996, being the manager's assistant at the Rugby World Cup tournaments in 1987, 1991 and 1995, as well as on the Scotland tours of New Zealand in 1990 and North America in 1991. He retired as secretary in June 2005 but continued to provide support and advice when Graham Ireland took on the role.

He was renowned as a strong administrator, a quiet bear of a man on the surface but one who would not be scared to offer his views, and often in a voluble manner, behind closed doors.

He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of what moulded Scottish rugby over the years and a great passion for its development, and represented the SRU on bodies such as the International Rugby Board, European Rugby Cup and Six Nations Committee.In recent months he also took on the role of match commissioner at Glasgow and Edinburgh matches in the Heineken Cup, and remained a member of Scottish Rugby's disciplinary panel.

He also had a great love of the game of cricket, umpiring matches at George Watson's and regularly attending Test matches with a wicker picnic basket and scorebook in hand at the likes of Old Trafford and Headingley.

A devoted family man, who doted on his grandchildren Beth and Evie, Hogg was awarded an OBE for services to Scottish rugby in June 2006.

He said at the time: "I am honoured to receive this accolade for something which has not only been my profession, but also something that I thoroughly enjoy.

"It has been a pleasure having contact with all clubs around the country and attending games every weekend.

"I have been fortunate enough to be on five Scotland tours and it has been a particular privilege to be involved with the Murrayfield Centenary Fund assisting injured players."

The current SRU president and former Scotland and British and Irish Lions prop forward, Ian McLauchlan added: "It is a sad day for Scottish rugby.

"Bill served the union with a fastidious yet benevolent eye. He will be a hard man to replace."

The SRU last night extended its condolences to Bill's wife Louise, his children Alisdair - a regular rugby reporter for The Scotsman - and Jane, his grand-children and all his friends.

The funeral is expected to be held next week; details will be confirmed in The Scotsman.