Jim Telfer Explained

Jim Telfer should not be confused with James Telfer.

Jim Telfer
Birth Name:James Telfer
Birth Date:1940 3, df=yes
Birth Place:Melrose, Scotland
Height:1.88m (06.17feet)
Weight:94kg (207lb) [1]
Ru Position:Number eight
Repteam1:Scotland
Repteam2:British Lions
Repcaps1:22
Repcaps2:6
Reppoints1:(?)
Ru Ntupdate:1 March 2009
Repyears1:1964-70
Repyears2:1966-68
Provinceyears1:1959-71
Provinceyears2:1962
Province1:South of Scotland District
Province2:Provinces District
Amatyears1:19??-1974
Ru Amupdate:24 July 2007
Amatteam1:Melrose RFC
Coachyears1:1980–1984
Coachyears2:1988–1993
Coachyears3:1993–1995
Coachyears4:1995-1998
Coachyears5:1998-1999
Coachyears6:1999–2003
Coachyears7:1983,1997
Coachteams1:Scotland
Coachteams2:Scotland (Assistant coach)
Coachteams3:Scotland
Coachteams4:Scotland (Director of Rugby)
Coachteams5:Scotland
Coachteams6:Scotland (Assistant coach)
Coachteams7:British Lions
Occupation:Retired rugby union coach

James Telfer (born 17 March 1940) is a Scottish former rugby union coach and player. As a player, he won 21 international caps in the amateur era, also having a career as a headmaster at Hawick High School and Galashiels Academy and Forrester High School as a chemistry teacher. With Sir Ian McGeechan he had success with both the Scotland national team and the British Lions.

Playing career

Telfer played for Melrose RFC and was still a student when he was first selected for international duties.[2] He later worked as a chemistry teacher.[3] His first cap came against France at Murrayfield on 4 January 1964.[4] His last match for Scotland was on 28 February 1970 at Lansdowne Road against Ireland.[5]

Telfer gained twenty one caps for Scotland, and, but for injury, might have gained more. Allan Massie wrote of him:

"Telfer is a man of innate authority. (There's a wealth of quiet reserve and self-knowledge, touched by that form of self-mockery which appears as under-statement, in the way he will describe himself as being a 'dominant personality')"[6]

Telfer played back row for Scotland and for the British Lions in 1966 and 1968. He was impressed and heavily influenced by New Zealand rugby.[6] After a cartilage operation he slowed up.[6] He played 23 games for the British Lions on their 1966 tour to Australia and New Zealand[7] and 11 games on their 1968 tour to South Africa.[8]

Between 1963 and 1967, he played 8 times for the Barbarians, scoring six points.[9]

George Crerar said of him "The great thing about Jim Telfer is that he makes sure that if he isn't going to win the ball the other side won't get it either."[10]

Coaching career

Telfer was head coach to the British Lions on their tour of New Zealand in 1983. He was assistant coach, with particular responsibility for the forwards, on the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa, where he made his well-known motivational 'Everest' speech to the forwards before the 1st Test.[11] [12] [13]

Telfer coached Scotland to the Grand Slam in 1984 and, as assistant to Ian McGeechan, to his second Grand Slam in 1990. In his third term as head coach from 1998 to 1999, Scotland won the final Five Nations Championship.

In 2014 he was coaching the Melrose RFC Under-18 team – Melrose Wasps.[14]

Telfer has been open about copying some New Zealand approaches to the game.[14]

Scotland (1981–1984)

International matches as head coach

Record by country

OpponentPlayedWonDrewLostWin ratio (%)ForAgainst
5792
6650
6154
6754
4476
3434
7952
TOTAL408412

Scotland (1993–1995, 1998–1999)

The period 1995–98 saw Telfer promoted as director of rugby for the Scottish Rugby Union. Richie Dixon was the head coach of the Scotland National team during this time. Telfer stepped in as head coach of Scotland when Dixon quit in 1998.

International matches as head coach

Record by country

OpponentPlayedWonDrewLostWin ratio (%)ForAgainst
5464
1478
226
6797
2651
106136
8948
3012
890
63129
10935
3520
49115
480
415
4312
7881
TOTAL963889

Honours

In 2021, World Rugby inducted Telfer into its World Rugby Hall of Fame, alongside Osea Kolinisau, Humphrey Kayange, Huriana Manuel, Cheryl McAfee and Will Carling.[15]

As a player

As a coach

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History > Player Archive > #443 Jim Telfer . www.lionsrugby.com . 30 April 2022.
  2. Jim Telfer . . 29 October 2021 . 30 April 2022.
  3. Web site: Rugby Positions: No 8s: Jim Telfer . Rugby World . 17 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160821163049/http://www.rugbyworld.com/rugby-positions/no-8s/jim-telfer-67120 . 21 August 2016.
  4. News: Scots open season with victory . John . Downie . The Herald. Glasgow . 6 January 1964 . 15 . 13 March 2017.
  5. News: Scottish revival not enough to atone for earlier blunders . Bill . McMurtrie . The Herald. Glasgow . 2 March 1970 . 5. 13 March 2017.
  6. Massie, p189
  7. Web site: Player archive: Jim Teller . . 13 March 2017.
  8. Web site: Player archive: Jim Teller . British and Irish Lions . 13 March 2017.
  9. Web site: Player Archive - J. W. Telfer . . 13 March 2017 .
  10. Massie, p190
  11. Living With Lions documentary: Telfer's famous 'Everest' speech in 1997. BBC Sport. 20 June 2017. 8 January 2022.
  12. Web site: On This Day: Telfer's speech and Dawson's dummy down the Springboks. 20 June 2016.
  13. Web site: 'BOD shook my hand and said, 'Thank you very much, you've given me a career!'.
  14. News: 'My best rugby is still to come' . Jamie . Lyall. BBC Sport . 7 November 2014 . 30 April 2022.
  15. Web site: Six legends to be inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame. 2021-10-27. World Rugby.

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