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Gavin Blackburn

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Gavin Blackburn
Birth nameGavin Blackburn
SchoolSt Ninian's High School, Giffnock
Rugby union career
Position(s) Tighthead Prop
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1999 Glasgow Hawks ()
1999-2001 Glasgow Southern ()
2001 Stirling County ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
Saracens ()
London Scottish ()
1999-2000 Glasgow Warriors 0 (0)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
- Scotland U21
Coaching career
Years Team
2010-13 Dunfermline RFC
2012-present Scottish Rugby Union Development Officer
2014-16 Biggar RFC

Gavin Blackburn is a former Scotland U21 international rugby union player for Glasgow Warriors, who played at the Tighthead Prop position.

Blackburn played for Saracens.[1] He started there as an apprentice.[2]

Blackburn played for London Scottish till 1999, when he was signed by Glasgow Hawks.[3]

He was then called up to Glasgow Warriors.[4] He played in all but one of Glasgow's pre-season friendlies of the 1999 - 2000 season; including the home match against Ulster Rugby[5] and making the trip to Canada to play the Ontario Rugby Union[6] and Uruguay A.[7] The only exception was the final match of the Canadian tour, the Canadian Tri-Continental Tournament final against Edinburgh Rugby, where Blackburn was an unused substitute.[8]

He returned to Glasgow after the successful Canadian tour but his time at the Hawks was short. In November 1999 he was moved on to Glasgow Southern.[9] This move to a lower ranked club effectively ended Blackburn's Warriors career and he did not play a further game for the professional provincial side. Hawks spokesman Hugh Barrow said: "Gavin hasn't been able to establish a regular place since arriving from London Scottish. He can't be blamed for wanting to seek first team action."

In 2001, he moved to Stirling County.[10] An achilles injury curtailed his career.[2]

He later went on to coach Biggar RFC from 2014. "Biggar is a huge club and one I remember playing against," he said. "It was always a hard game and the support was tremendous. They struggled last season but my job will be to create a culture where everybody enjoys rugby and ultimately starts winning again," said the 35-year-old former Dunfermline coach and SRU development officer. "We will look to bring players in but they have to be the right type of player, on and off the pitch."[1] However Blackburn announced he would quit his coaching role in February 2016 due to family commitments and work pressures.[11]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Blackburn Buoyed by Biggar Challenge". Archived from the original on 5 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b "New coach aims to help Dunfermline bounce back". Dunfermline Press.
  3. ^ "HERIOT'S OF FIRE THE HOT TIPS".
  4. ^ "Shepherd Astray". Archived from the original on 3 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Much to build on for Reds as Ulster triumph in the sun". Herald Scotland.
  6. ^ "Winning start to Canadian tour for Reivers and Reds Coaches pleased with victories in opening games". Herald Scotland.
  7. ^ "Dispute settled in talks with coaches". Herald Scotland.
  8. ^ "Treble wins boost Reds' league aspirations". Herald Scotland.
  9. ^ "Serious injury leads to appeal". Herald Scotland.
  10. ^ "Rugby: Melrose bid to leave champs Shiel-shocked".
  11. ^ "Biggar rugby coach Gavin Blackburn quits".