Bruce Thomson (rugby union)

{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player (1930–2020)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}

{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Bruce Thomson

| image =

| birth_name = Bruce Ewan Thomson

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1930|11|19|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Assam, British India

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|1|13|1930|11|19|df=yes}}

| death_place = Crieff, Scotland

| height =

| weight =

| position = Prop

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 = Oxford University

| amatteam2 = London Scottish

| ru_amclubcaps =

| ru_amclubpoints =

| ru_amupdate =

| province1 =

| provinceyears1 =

| provinceapps1 =

| provincepoints1 =

| ru_provinceupdate =

| repteam1 = Scotland

| repcaps1 = 3

| reppoints1 = 0

| ru_ntupdate =

| repyears1 = 1953

| years1 =

| ru_clubupdate =

| apps1 =

| points1 =

}}

Bruce Thomson (19 November 1930 – 13 January 2020) was a Scotland international rugby union player. Thomson played as a Prop.{{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scotland/rugby/player/5637.html|title=Bruce Ewan Thomson|publisher=}} He was also a noted bagpiper.{{cite web|url=http://www.mdmag.com/physicians-money-digest/lifestyle/thomsons-tunes-a-scottish-retired-doctor-brings-fresh-air-to-the-bagpipes|title=Thomson's Tunes: a Scottish Retired Doctor Brings Fresh Air to the Bagpipes|first=Eric Anderson|last=MD|publisher=}}

Rugby union career

=Amateur career=

Thomson played rugby for Oxford University.The Essential History of Rugby Union: Scotland. Nick Oswald and John Griffiths. He later played rugby for London Scottish.

=International career=

Thomson was capped for {{nrut|Scotland}} 3 times in 1953.{{Cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/player/5637.html?class=1;template=results;type=player;view=match|title = Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - Bruce Thomson - Test matches}}

Outside of rugby

=Medical career=

Thomson became a doctor, working as a GP in Horsham, Sussex.{{cite web|url=http://www.mdmag.com/physicians-money-digest/lifestyle/thomsons-tunes-a-scottish-retired-doctor-brings-fresh-air-to-the-bagpipes/P-2|title=Thomson's Tunes: a Scottish Retired Doctor Brings Fresh Air to the Bagpipes|first=Eric Anderson|last=MD|publisher=}}

=Bagpipes=

Thomson learned the bagpipes at Aberdeen Grammar School.

After school he joined the army where he was taught by Pipe Major Donald McLeod. He composed more than 450 bagpipe tunes and performed for the Queen. He was influenced by Seumas MacNeill, Pipe Major Brian McRae and the members of The Royal Scottish Pipers Society.

Thomson published several books of his bagpipe tunes.{{cite web|url=https://pipetunes.ca/composer/bruce-thomson/|title=Bruce Thomson : Pipetunes|publisher=}}

=Later life and death=

Thomson later retired to Crieff, Perthshire.{{cite web|url=http://www.ewanbailey.com/pipes/biography.html|title=Dr Bruce Thomson - Autobiography|publisher=}}

He died there on 13 January 2020, at the age of 89.

References