Mason Thompson Scott (20 December 1865 – 1 June 1916) Scrum.com was an English international
rugby union
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
Cambridge University
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
and
Northern
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating ...
. Scott played international rugby for
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
and was an original member of invitational team, the
Barbarians
A barbarian is a person or tribe of people that is perceived to be primitive, savage and warlike. Many cultures have referred to other cultures as barbarians, sometimes out of misunderstanding and sometimes out of prejudice.
A "barbarian" may ...
.
Personal history
Scott was born in 1865 in
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...
Craigmount School
Craigmount School was a private school originally for boys, but for most of its history for girls, in Edinburgh. It opened in 1874 and closed in 1966.
History
Craigmount was founded in Edinburgh in 1874 as a school for boys. In 1884, it was r ...
in Edinburgh, and matriculated at
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Jesus College was established in 1496 on the site of the twelfth-century Benedictine nunnery of St Radegund's Priory, Cambridge, St ...
, in 1884. He was awarded his BA in 1888, and on leaving University, became a publisher. He married Flora Alice Williams on 30 November 1899, and they had a daughter, Flora Brookbank Scott. His younger brother,
William
William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...
, followed his brother being educated at Craigmount and Jesus College, and was also an international rugby player for England. Scott died on 1 June 1916 at Brunstock in Carlisle, and left in his will the sum of £130,000.Griffiths (1982), pg 53.
Rugby career
Scott first came to note as a rugby player when he represented Cambridge University. Scott played in three Varsity Matches winning all his sporting '
Blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
' in rugby football. Scott's first Blue was in the 1885 Varsity Match, and his clean heel in the first half allowed teammate
William Leake
William Leake, father (died 1633) and son (died 1681), were London publishers and booksellers of the late sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries. They were responsible for a range of texts in English Renaissance drama and poetry, including wor ...
to break and set up Brutton for the first try.Marshall (1951), pg 65. The game ended with Cambridge victorious, two tries to nil. The next season saw Scott and Leake selected again at half back for Cambridge, this time winning by three tries to nil. Scott was central to several moves in his final Varsity match in 1887, combining well with Leake. Scott missed at a drop goal during the game, but set up a clean pass to allow Duncan to successfully drop kick a goal.Marshall (1951), pg 70. Later in the match Scott again found Duncan with a good pass to send him through for a try under the posts. Wynne of Cambridge finished the game with a try to give Cambridge their third successive win.
While still at University, Scott was awarded his first international
cap
A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. The origin of the word "cap" comes from the Old French word "chapeau" which means "head co ...
for England. Called into the squad to face Ireland as part of the
1887 Home Nations Championship
The 1887 Home Nations Championship was the fifth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 8 January and 12 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Scotland won the championshi ...
, Scott was partnered with England's captain Alan Rotherham. The Irish forwards outclassed their English counterparts, and the possession the Irish backs gained gave them dominance throughout the game. Scott and Rotherham set up a careful defence to prevent the Irish three-quarters from several scoring chances,Griffiths (1982), pg 47. but the game eventually went to the Irish, winning by two goals to nil.
After leaving Cambridge, Scott joined Northern Rugby Club, based in Newcastle upon Tyne. While representing Northern, Scott won his final two international caps and became the first player to be capped directly from the club. Scott was selected for the final two games of the 1890 Championship, after England had lost the opener against Wales. Paired at half back with fellow Barbarian
Francis Hugh Fox
Francis Hugh Fox (12 June 1863 – 28 May 1952) Scrum.com was an English
Frederick Spence, but despite the lack of consistency the English back play was solid enough to see a three try win over the Irish.