John Douglas: Former Scottish rugby player and Grand National winner dies age 90 as tributes paid

An obituary has been posted online confirming the death of the Scotsman, who earned 12 caps for his country. Playing in the second row and at number eight, Douglas was a dedicated sportsman throughout his life, and had his fingers in plenty of pies.

Aside from rugby, he dipped his toes into both boxing and golf, as well as owning a horse that won a Grand National. It has been reported that he died after a “long battle” with ill health.

The obituary, posted on The Offside Line, read: “Although 1963 brought the end of his international career, Douglas continued to play at a high level until the mid-1970s. After a dispute over selection policy, he left Stewart’s in the mid-1960s to join Edinburgh Wanderers, a move which caused ripples at the time, resulting in the Edinburgh selectors not picking him for six seasons before relenting and then making him their captain when aged 36 for three seasons.

“An all-round sportsman and a ferocious competitor, he began weight training while on National Service in Germany. He also boxed with some success while in the army and carried that on once back in Edinburgh, out of the Buccleuch Club in the Granton area of the capital, winning the East of Scotland heavyweight title at the Music Hall on George Street in November 1960.

“Douglas was later selected to represent Scotland at heavyweight against Ireland but had to withdraw as the bout was due to be held two days before he was to play against Ireland at rugby.”

His Grand National winning horse, Rubistic, was bought for 1,000 guineas in 1971 when the steed was just three years old. Rubistic won the prestigious horse race in 1979, on its first attempt of the event.