Scott Hastings, former Scotland rugby centre, dies aged 61

The former Scotland rugby union centre Scott Hastings has died at the age of 61.

Hastings won 65 caps for Scotland, playing 51 internationals with his full-back brother, Gavin. He was also selected for the British and Irish Lions tours of Australia in 1989 and New Zealand in 1993.

Scott Hastings later enjoyed a successful career as a rugby broadcaster. His daughters announced that Hastings had died in an Edinburgh hospital in a Scottish Rugby Union statement.

“Corey and Kerry-Anne Hastings are saddened to inform you that Scott, the Scotland and British and Irish Lions centre, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on the morning of Sunday 17 May,” it read.

“This also marked his late wife Jenny’s birthday which speaks louder than words that he is safe and with his beloved Jenny. Scott was undergoing cancer treatment and due to complications deteriorated extremely quickly.”

The statement added: “Despite every effort by the incredible team at the Western General Hospital ICU, he passed away peacefully and pain free.

“At this time the family ask everyone to give them space to process and manage their energies and ask for their privacy to be respected.”

The Scotland head coach, Gregor Townsend, said: “In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Scott was an iconic figure for Scottish rugby. His defensive display in the 1990 grand slam victory over England was crucial to that day’s success and he epitomised what it meant to play for Scotland – combining passion, confidence and aggression, whenever he wore the navy blue jersey.

“Like many other schoolboys throughout Scotland at the time, I wanted to emulate Scott’s approach to the game and how he took the game to the opposition. A few years later, I was fortunate to play alongside him on a number of occasions for Scotland, as he became our most-capped player.”