Find out where the back-rower was born and what business he has set up away from rugby
Who is Hamish Watson: Ten things you should know about the Scotland flanker
Edinburgh flanker Hamish Watson made his Scotland debut in 2015, but where was he born and what business has he set up away from rugby? Here are those answers and more.
Ten things you should know about Hamish Watson
1. Hamish Watson was born on 15 October 1991
2. Watson has supported Scotland since the age of eight and used to hang a Saltire on his bedroom wall.
3. Qualifying for Scotland through his grandparents, Watson represented the national U19 and U20 teams.
4. Before moving to Scotland to take up a central contract with the national sevens squad in 2011, Watson was a part of the Leicester Tigers Academy. While playing for Scotland Sevens, he was approached by Edinburgh’s Elite Development Programme and he signed his first senior deal with the club in 2014.
He made his 100th Edinburgh appearance against Glasgow in April 2019 and in early 2021 he committed to Edinburgh with a new long-term contract. Hoping to win trophies with the club from the capital, Watson described Edinburgh as “home”.
“I have been at Edinburgh since I was 19, it really is home for me and my family."
Scotland international Hamish Watson has signed a new long-term deal with @EdinburghRugby.
Read more: https://t.co/MZiX0PXEAz pic.twitter.com/TyUEkEnI64
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) January 6, 2021
5. Watson made his Test debut off the bench in the 2015 Six Nations during Scotland’s home defeat by Italy and won a second cap against the same opposition that summer. However, he then had to wait until November 2016 for his next international action. His first start came against Australia and his first try a few weeks later against Georgia.
6. A knee injury sustained in the opening game of the 2019 Rugby World Cup against Ireland ended Watson’s tournament early, clouding the joy of his first appearance in the competition.
7. In just a 22-minute cameo appearance against Wales in the 2019 Six Nations, Watson managed to break a Scottish record. He beat ten defenders – the most by any Scottish player in a Six Nations game – and earned himself the official Man of the Match award.
8. After Scotland’s narrow defeat by Wales in the 2021 Six Nations, Watson publicly apologised for his comments following Zander Fagerson’s red card.
Poor comments from me, emotions were very high after losing a very tight match. Players health is paramount.
— Hamish Watson (@hamishwatson7) February 15, 2021
9. Watson was voted 2021 Six Nations Player of the Championship. He made 55 tackles and 67 carries and played all bar 14 minutes of Scotland’s five matches as his country achieved historic wins over England and France.
The back-rower received 35% of the fans’ votes to beat Tadhg Beirne, Antoine Dupont, Taulupe Faletau, Robbie Henshaw and Louis Rees-Zammit to the award.
Related: Hamish Watson wins Player of the Six Nations award
#GuinnessSixNations Player of the Championship ?
Congratulations, @hamishwatson7 ?
This is how he found out he’d won the award ? pic.twitter.com/RrA8M6xBXM
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) April 2, 2021
10. Away from rugby, Watson has set up a headwear company called Rex Club.
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