In his early life, Ian attended the George Watson's College in Edinburgh, Aberdeen University and Christ's College, Cambridge. After a successful education, he moved to teach the next generation. Working as an English teacher at Fettes College, Ian’s most prominent student was the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
Ian first played for the Rugby Union with Cambridge University, Watsonians. He went on to join London Scottish, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (between 1968 and 1970) and finally The Barbarians. Across the course of his active playing career, Ian’s most memorable moment came during Scotland's 1970 Calcutta Cup victory over England. Despite a knee injury ending his sporting career at 25, Ian’s legacy firmly secured him as one of the most important players of the decade.
In 1972, upon joining the BBC, Ian got his first taste of broadcasting. Just over a decade later, in April of 1983, he became the Corporation's official Rugby Union correspondent, a role which concluded in 2018. As a commentator, he discussed and analysed sporting events on not just the Radio, but whilst featuring on televised sporting shows too.
When asked what his favourite sporting moments were, Ian replied that Scotland’s 1984 and 1990 Grand Slams were the best era of rugby, due to the nail-biting drama and technical quality of the play. However, a standout moment for Ian was the moment Jonny Wilkinson scored a winning drop-kick in the final of the 2003 World Cup, a moment that he described as the "best on-air moments".
Ian was a presenter on the English Premiership video review between 1998 and 1999, where he shared his knowledge of Rugby with captivated fans. The last game that Ian covered prior to retiring was the England VS Australia game on the 24th of November, 2018. He announced that this would be his last commentary in February of 2018.
As a speaker, Ian frequently shares his rugby knowledge nationwide with eager audiences. However, he is also a highly capable motivational speaker, who can cover topics like peak performance, mental resilience and adapting to overcome challenges.
