Roger Baird

Former Scottish rugby union player Gavin Roger Todd Baird is better known simply as Roger Baird. He is a now retired Scottish rugby union player who had a fine career and played for the national side on 27 occasions. He did so zipping up and down the wing using his great pace, and played for the country proudly between 1981 and 1988. With a background working as a grain merchant, Roger has also used his knowledge of the game since retiring to manage the national under 21 side as well as work as assistant coach to Kelso clubmate Gary Callander at Watsonians.
Baird went to school in Edinburgh at St. Mary’s School, Melrose and Merchiston Castle School, all of which are recognised as producing a high calibre of rugby player over the years. As such, Roger was one of them and he played scrum half for Scottish Schools as soon as he was old enough. While still at Merchiston, he played sevens for Kelso and won a medal aged just 17, already impressing those who know about the game. Within just two more years he was capped by the Scotland B side and then in 1981 played his first full game for the full Scotland side in a win over Australia. He never actually managed to score a try for the national side but holds the record number of tries for the South having also played for the South of Scotland rugby union team. Roger also played for the British Lions and scored for them a number of times.