David Sole

Who is David Sole?

David Michael Barclay Sole is a former Scottish rugby union footballer. He was educated at Blairmore prep school and Glenalmond College, a private school in Perthshire.

He made his Scotland debut in 1986 against France and went on to win 44 caps at prop between 1986 and 1992, with a record 25 as captain.

He was also the first choice loosehead prop with the victorious British Lions in Australia in 1989.

In 1990, David Sole was captain for a Grand Slam decider at Murrayfield against the auld enemy and hot favourites, England. This is sometimes considered to be Scotland's greatest match, and one well remembered, as Richard Bath says:

Scotland won 13-7, denying England the Grand Slam and claiming their third Grand Slam after their previous triumphs in 1925 and 1984.

He made his final international appearance in 1992 against Australia. That year he stood for election as Rector of the University of Dundee, but despite being the favourite candidate he was defeated by Stephen Fry.

Nowadays David acts as the co-commentator for BBC Scotland's coverage of rugby union matches, most recently in the 2007 Summer Tests before the 2007 Rugby World Cup, a tournament that STV owned the rights to. He commentated on Scotland v Japan at McDiarmid Park on 13 November 2004 when Scotland won 100-8.