Smart Ian

 

Player Ian Smart

Ian Smart

Position: Flanker

Born: 1^st April 1931 in Dunfermline

Height: 6ft 1in

Weight: 12st 5lb

Education:  Dunfermline High School, Portsmouth Grammar School & New College, Oxford

Achievements: Captained his College 1st XV

Honours:

Debut game: 5th February 1955 v Newbridge

Final game: 23rd February 1957 v Wasps

Number of Appearances: 26

Career details:

Ian’s interest in rugby began when he was at Dunfermline High School between 1942 and 1944 where he was made Captain of the 8^th XV in 1942 and of the 6^th XV in 1944 before the family moved to Portsmouth to live at the end of the 1939-1945 World War.

Coach at Dunfermline HS was James Muir who coincidentally was coach to Jim Greenwood who went on to captain Scotland and the Lions . Ian’s interest in rugby developed at University and grew further when his father helped him to get a job and digs near Bath immediately after a period of National Service. At New College, Oxford in 1950 he became skipper of the 1st XV for a year.  After return from Egypt (National Service) in March 1951 he was ready to connect with Bath.

John Roberts was the Bath Captain at the time. Amongst other players at the time were John Dolman, Dennis Silk, Tom Smith, Brian Peasley, Tony Guest and, by 1952,  John Kendall-Carpenter.

In 1952 he was competing for a place in the 1st and 2nd XV’s; occasionally as a substitute for Ian Beer when he was not available.

Subsequently his work took him to Liverpool where he played for a season in 1956-57 before marrying in 1958.