Gary Armstrong

Gary Armstrong (born 30 September 1966, in Edinburgh) is a former Scotland international rugby union player. He played scrum-half for Jed-Forest RFC, Newcastle Falcons and the Border Reivers.

Gary Armstrong had succeeded a fellow British and Irish Lion and Scotland player, Roy Laidlaw, as scrum half at Jed-Forest. Armstrong was helped in his development as a youngster by Jedforest moving Laidlaw to stand off with Armstrong playing scrum half.

Provincial and professional career

He played for South of Scotland District.

He played for the Reds Trial side in 1988, coming on as a substitute for Andrew Ker in the second half.

He joined Newcastle Falcons in 1995/96, He also started the victorious 2001 Anglo-Welsh Cup final. Many supporters believe Armstrong to be the best player in the club's history. In Jonny Wilkinson's book How to Play Rugby My Way Armstrong is given the nickname–"the scrap-yard dog"– because Wilkinson said that he had never met anyone as "tough as him".

He was an ever-present in Newcastle Falcons 1998 Premiership win.

He was capped twice by Scotland 'B' in 1987-8.

Armstrong equalled Roy Laidlaw’s then record as Scotland’s most capped scrum-half when he won his 47th cap against Romania in August 1999. He then joined the 50-cap club when he led Scotland to victory in the World Cup play-off match against Samoa that October.

Armstrong captained Scotland to victory in the 1999 Five Nations and to a quarter final place in the same year's rugby world cup.

Gary Armstrong captained Scotland to the 1999 Five Nations Championship, playing his eighth Test as captain as Scotland grasped pole position with their stunning 36–22 victory against France.

He was skipper throughout the previous two Five Nations Championships and was also captain on Scotland’s 1999 visit to South Africa, when he played in all four matches and scored the opening try of the tour in the victory over Border.

He retired from international rugby after Scotland’s 18–30 defeat by New Zealand in the 1999 Rugby World Cup quarter-final.

He played 51 times for Scotland.

In a 2015 series of articles in The Herald titled "The 50 Greatest Scottish Rugby Players", Armstrong was ranked as Scotland's greatest. Armstrong was known for intuitive awareness and was as much an auxiliary flanker and had uncanny talent to break around the fringes. As well as providing quick service as the connection between forwards and backs he was known for his toughness and tackling well above his weight. His fearlessness on the pitch led to two serious knee injuries keeping him out the game for lengthy spells.

Career statistics

International career: 51 caps. 1988 - A. 1989 - W E I F Fj R. 1990 - I F W E NZ1 NZ2 Arg. 1991 - F W E I R (WC) J I WS E NZ. 1993 - I F W E. 1994 - E I. 1996 - NZ1 NZ2 A. 1997 - W SA (rep). 1998 - It I F W E SA (rep). 1999 - W E I F Arg R WC (SA U Sam NZ).

Points: 21 (5 tries)

(Rewritten from the SRU website - used with permission)

Awards and honours

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2000 New Year Honours.