Former Scotland captain and iconic British & Irish Lions prop Ian McLauchlan dies aged 83
Former Scotland skipper Ian McLauchlan, one of the most revered props in British & Irish Lions history, has died at the age of 83.
Nicknamed 'Mighty Mouse' for his powerful scrummaging and compact frame, McLauchlan won 43 caps for Scotland between 1969 and 1979, captaining his country on 19 occasions.
He also played a pivotal role in two of the Lions' most celebrated tours — to New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa in 1974.
He was one of only five players to start all eight Tests across both series and his try in Dunedin helped clinch a 9-3 win in the opening match of the 1971 tour.
Despite tipping the scales at just 14st 6lb when he made his Scotland debut, McLauchlan never took a backward step.
His old team-mate Andy Irvine led tributes on Saturday, saying: 'He was some character and some player. I never saw anyone get the better of him — he was so tough, almost indestructible. It's a very sad day.'
Following his retirement from playing, McLauchlan remained deeply involved in the game. He served as president of Scottish Rugby from 2010 to 2012 and stepped down from the board in 2019, marking half a century of dedication to the sport.
He was inducted into the Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013 and awarded an OBE four years later for services to rugby.
Scottish Rugby confirmed the news of McLauchlan's death in a statement published on Saturday afternoon.
It read: 'Scottish Rugby is immensely saddened to learn of the death yesterday, 20 June, of former Scotland captain, Past President of the SRU and British & Irish Lions loosehead prop, Ian McLauchlan OBE. He was 83.'
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