John Jeffrey

John Jeffrey (born 25 March 1959) is a Scottish former rugby union player, coach and administrator. He won 40 caps for Scotland, and was part of the team that won the Grand Slam in 1990. After retiring as a player he was a coach and administrator. Since June 2025, he has served as Lord Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale.

Early life Jeffrey was educated at St. Mary's School, Melrose and Merchiston Castle School. Jeffrey owns a farm in the Borders. His nicknames were "The Great White Shark" and "JJ".

Playing career Jeffrey played for Kelso and South of Scotland.

He was capped by Scotland 'B' 3 times between 1983 and 1984.

He won forty caps for Scotland between 1984 and 1991, making him, at the time, Scotland's most capped flanker. He scored 11 tries, another Scottish record at the time, shared with back-row colleague Derek White.

Journalist Richard Bath described him as "one of the most galvanising sights in Five Nations rugby throughout the 1980s and early 1990s."

In 1988, after playing football with the Calcutta Cup along Princes Street in Edinburgh with England's Dean Richards, Jeffrey received a six-month ban from the Scottish Rugby Union. Richards received a one match sentence from the English Rugby Football Union.

Jeffrey was selected for the British Lions' 1989 Tour of Australia.

He was a part of the Scotland team that won the Grand Slam in 1990.

During the 1990 Hong Kong Sevens, Jeffrey played for Scotland 7s, but when they were knocked out, he went on to play for Wales 7s as they were suffering from too many injuries.

Later career

Jeffrey was involved in coaching the Scotland youth teams. He has commentated on rugby games for the BBC.

He was a member of the (now World Rugby) Council (previously the International Rugby Board) and head of referees since 2010.

In December 2020 Jeffrey was appointed as chairman of the Scottish Rugby Board. In December 2022 Scottish Rugby announced that Jeffrey would stand down as chairman in May 2023 but would remain on the board.

In 2024 Jeffrey put himself forward as a candidate for the charirmanship of World Rugby. His candidacy was not supported by the Scottish Rugby Union, and he subsequently resigned as president of the Six Nations and as a board member, council member and vice-chairman of World Rugby.

On 30 June 2025, it was announced that he had been appointed Lord Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale, the monarch's representative in the area.