# Jim Telfer

James Telfer (born 17 March 1940) is a Scottish former rugby union coach and player. As a player, he won 21 international caps in the amateur era, also having a career as a headmaster at Hawick High School and Galashiels Academy and Forrester High School as a chemistry teacher. With Sir Ian McGeechan he had success with both the Scotland national team and the British Lions.

## Playing career

Telfer played for Melrose RFC and was still a student when he was first selected for international duties. He later worked as a chemistry teacher. His first cap came against France at Murrayfield on 4 January 1964. His last match for Scotland was on 28 February 1970 at Lansdowne Road against Ireland.
Telfer gained twenty one caps for Scotland, and, but for injury, might have gained more. Allan Massie wrote of him:
    "Telfer is a man of innate authority. (There's a wealth of quiet reserve and self-knowledge, touched by that form of self-mockery which appears as under-statement, in the way he will describe himself as being a 'dominant personality')"
Telfer played back row for Scotland and for the British Lions in 1966 and 1968. He was impressed and heavily influenced by New Zealand rugby. After a cartilage operation he slowed up. He played 23 games for the British Lions on their 1966 tour to Australia and New Zealand and 11 games on their 1968 tour to South Africa.
Between 1963 and 1967, he played 8 times for the Barbarians, scoring six points.
George Crerar said of him "The great thing about Jim Telfer is that he makes sure that if he isn't going to win the ball the other side won't get it either."

## Coaching career

Telfer was head coach to the British Lions on their tour of New Zealand in 1983. He was assistant coach, with particular responsibility for the forwards, on the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa, where he made his well-known motivational 'Everest' speech to the forwards before the 1st Test.
Telfer coached Scotland to the Grand Slam in 1984 and, as assistant to Ian McGeechan, to his second Grand Slam in 1990. In his third term as head coach from 1998 to 1999, Scotland won the final Five Nations Championship.
In 2014 he was coaching the Melrose RFC Under-18 team – Melrose Wasps.
Telfer has been open about copying some New Zealand approaches to the game.

### Scotland (1981–1984)
#### International matches as head coach

Matches (1981–1984) :
| Matches | Date | Opposition | Venue | Score (Sco.–Opponent) | Competition | Captain |
| 1981 |||||||
| 1 | 17 January | France | Parc des Princes, Paris | 9–16 | 1981 Five Nations | Andy Irvine |
| 2 | 7 February | Wales | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 15–6 | 1981 Five Nations | Andy Irvine |
| 3 | 21 February | England | Twickenham, London | 17–23 | 1981 Five Nations | Andy Irvine |
| 4 | 21 March | Ireland | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 10–9 | 1981 Five Nations | Andy Irvine |
| 5 | 13 June | New Zealand | Carisbrook, Dunedin | 4–11 | 1981 tour | Andy Irvine |
| 6 | 20 June | New Zealand | Eden Park, Auckland | 15–40 | 1981 tour | Andy Irvine |
| 7 | 26 September | Romania | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 12–6 | Romania tour | Andy Irvine |
| 8 | 19 December | Australia | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 24–15 | Australia tour | Andy Irvine |
| 1982 |||||||
| 9 | 16 January | England | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 9–9 | 1982 Five Nations | Andy Irvine |
| 10 | 20 February | Ireland | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | 12–21 | 1982 Five Nations | Andy Irvine |
| 11 | 6 March | France | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 16–7 | 1982 Five Nations | Andy Irvine |
| 12 | 20 March | Wales | Arms Park, Cardiff | 34–18 | 1982 Five Nations | Andy Irvine |
| 13 | 4 July | Australia | Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane | 12–7 | 1982 tour | Andy Irvine |
| 14 | 10 July | Australia | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 9–33 | 1982 tour | Andy Irvine |
| 1983 |||||||
| 15 | 15 January | Ireland | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 13–15 | 1983 Five Nations | Roy Laidlaw |
| 16 | 5 February | France | Parc des Princes, Paris | 15–19 | 1983 Five Nations | Roy Laidlaw |
| 17 | 19 February | Wales | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 15–19 | 1983 Five Nations | Roy Laidlaw |
| 18 | 5 March | England | Twickenham, London | 22–12 | 1983 Five Nations | Jim Aitken |
| 19 | 12 November | New Zealand | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 25–25 | New Zealand tour | Jim Aitken |
| 1984 |||||||
| 20 | 21 January | Wales | Arms Park, Cardiff | 15–9 | 1984 Five Nations | Jim Aitken |
| 21 | 4 February | England | Murrayfield Stadium | 18–6 | 1984 Five Nations | Jim Aitken |
| 22 | 3 March | Ireland | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | 32–9 | 1984 Five Nations | Jim Aitken |
| 23 | 17 March | France | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 21–12 | 1984 Five Nations | Jim Aitken |
| 24 | 20 May | Romania | Stadionul Dinamo, Bucharest | 22–28 | Test match | Jim Aitken |
| 25 | 8 December | Australia | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 12–37 | Australia tour | Roy Laidlaw |

#### Record by country

| Opponent | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | Win ratio (%) | For | Against |
| Australia | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 050 | 57 | 92 |
| England | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 050 | 66 | 50 |
| France | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 050 | 61 | 54 |
| Ireland | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 050 | 67 | 54 |
| New Zealand | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 000 | 44 | 76 |
| Romania | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 050 | 34 | 34 |
| Wales | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 075 | 79 | 52 |
| TOTAL | 25 | 12 | 2 | 11 | 048 | 408 | 412 |

### Scotland (1993–1995, 1998–1999)

The period 1995–98 saw Telfer promoted as director of rugby for the Scottish Rugby Union. Richie Dixon was the head coach of the Scotland National team during this time. Telfer stepped in as head coach of Scotland when Dixon quit in 1998.

#### International matches as head coach

Matches (1993–1995, 1998–99) :
| Matches | Date | Opposition | Venue | Score (Sco.–Opponent) | Competition | Captain |
| 1993 |||||||
| 1 | 20 November | New Zealand | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 15–51 | New Zealand tour | Gavin Hastings |
| 1994 |||||||
| 2 | 15 January | Wales | Arms Park, Cardiff | 6–29 | Five Nations | Gavin Hastings |
| 3 | 5 February | England | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 14–15 | Five Nations | Gavin Hastings |
| 4 | 5 March | Ireland | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | 6–6 | Five Nations | Gavin Hastings |
| 5 | 19 March | France | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 12–20 | Five Nations | Gavin Hastings |
| 6 | 4 June | Argentina | Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverri, Buenos Aires | 15–16 | Argentina tour | Andy Reed |
| 7 | 11 June | Argentina | Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverri, Buenos Aires | 17–19 | Argentina tour | Andy Reed |
| 8 | 19 November | South Africa | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 10–34 | South Africa tour | Gavin Hastings |
| 1995 |||||||
| 9 | 21 January | Canada | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 22–6 | Test match | Gavin Hastings |
| 10 | 4 February | Ireland | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 26–13 | Five Nations | Gavin Hastings |
| 11 | 18 February | France | Parc des Princes, Paris | 23–21 | Five Nations | Gavin Hastings |
| 12 | 4 March | Wales | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 26–13 | Five Nations | Gavin Hastings |
| 13 | 18 March | England | Twickenham Stadium, London | 12–24 | Five Nations | Gavin Hastings |
| 14 | 22 April | Romania | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 49–16 | RWC Warm-up | Gavin Hastings |
| 15 | 26 May | Ivory Coast | Olympia Park, Rustenburg, South Africa | 89–0 | World Cup | Gavin Hastings |
| 16 | 30 May | Tonga | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa | 41–5 | World Cup | Gavin Hastings |
| 17 | 3 June | France | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa | 19–22 | World Cup | Gavin Hastings |
| 18 | 11 June | New Zealand | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa | 30–48 | World Cup | Gavin Hastings |
| 1998 |||||||
| 19 | 7 February | Ireland | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | 17–16 | Five Nations | Gary Armstrong |
| 20 | 21 February | France | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 16–51 | Five Nations | Gary Armstrong |
| 21 | 7 March | Wales | Wembley Stadium, London | 13–19 | Five Nations | Gary Armstrong |
| 22 | 22 March | England | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 20–34 | Five Nations | Gary Armstrong |
| 23 | 26 May | Fiji | National Stadium, Suva | 26–51 | Oceania tour | Rob Wainwright |
| 24 | 13 June | Australia | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 3–45 | Oceania tour | Rob Wainwright |
| 25 | 20 June | Australia | Lang Park, Brisbane | 11–33 | Oceania tour | Rob Wainwright |
| 26 | 21 November | South Africa | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 10–35 | South Africa tour | Bryan Redpath |
| 1999 |||||||
| 27 | 6 February | Wales | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 33–20 | Five Nations | Gary Armstrong |
| 28 | 20 February | England | Twickenham Stadium, London | 21–24 | Five Nations | Gary Armstrong |
| 29 | 6 March | Italy | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 30–12 | Test match | Eric Peters |
| 30 | 20 March | Ireland | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 30–13 | Five Nations | Gary Armstrong |
| 31 | 10 April | France | Stade de France, Saint-Denis | 36–22 | Five Nations | Gary Armstrong |
| 32 | 21 August | Argentina | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 22–31 | RWC Warm-up | Gary Armstrong |
| 33 | 28 August | Romania | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 60–19 | RWC Warm-up | Gary Armstrong |
| 34 | 3 October | South Africa | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 29–46 | World Cup | Gary Armstrong |
| 35 | 8 October | Uruguay | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 43–12 | World Cup | Gary Armstrong |
| 36 | 16 October | Spain | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 48–0 | World Cup | Bryan Redpath |
| 37 | 20 October | Samoa | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 35–20 | World Cup | Gary Armstrong |
| 38 | 24 October | New Zealand | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 18–30 | World Cup | Gary Armstrong |

#### Record by country

| Opponent | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | Win ratio (%) | For | Against |
| Argentina | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 000 | 54 | 64 |
| Australia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 000 | 14 | 78 |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 22 | 6 |
| England | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 000 | 67 | 97 |
| Fiji | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 000 | 26 | 51 |
| France | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 040 | 106 | 136 |
| Ireland | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 075 | 89 | 48 |
| Italy | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 30 | 12 |
| Ivory Coast | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 89 | 0 |
| New Zealand | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 000 | 63 | 129 |
| Romania | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 109 | 35 |
| Samoa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 35 | 20 |
| South Africa | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 000 | 49 | 115 |
| Spain | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 48 | 0 |
| Tonga | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 41 | 5 |
| Uruguay | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 43 | 12 |
| Wales | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 050 | 78 | 81 |
| TOTAL | 38 | 16 | 1 | 21 | 042 | 963 | 889 |

## Honours

In 2021, World Rugby inducted Telfer into its World Rugby Hall of Fame, alongside Osea Kolinisau, Humphrey Kayange, Huriana Manuel, Cheryl McAfee and Will Carling.

### As a player

* Scotland
** Five Nations Championship
*** Winner: 1964
*** Runner-up: 1966, 1967
** Calcutta Cup
*** Winner: 1964, 1965, 1966

### As a coach

* Scotland
** Five Nations Championship
*** Winner: 1984, 1999
*** Grand Slam: 1984
*** Runner-up: 1981, 1982, 1995
** Triple Crown
*** Winner: 1984
** Calcutta Cup
*** Winner: 1983, 1984
** Centenary Quaich
*** Winner: 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999
* Scotland (as assistant coach)
** Five/Six Nations Championship
*** Winner: 1990
*** Grand Slam: 1990
*** Runner-up: 1989, 1992, 1993
** Triple Crown
*** Winner: 1990
** Calcutta Cup
*** Winner: 1989, 1990, 2000
** Centenary Quaich
*** Winner: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2001