Gordon Bulloch
Encyclopedia
Gordon Bulloch is a rugby union
player who is hooker for West of Scotland F.C. and formerly Scotland
. Gordon Bulloch is Scotland’s third most capped player with a total of 75 and their most-capped hooker. He previously played for Glasgow and Leeds Tykes
.
Gordon has played for Scotland at U19 and U21 level and has been in four tours in South Africa. In 1996 he was an important player in helping the Scots to fourth place in the 1996 Students' World Cup.
He made his debut for West of Scotland in 1995 against the South Africa
n Currie Cup
team Griqualand West
. He went on to captain them in 1996-97. He has also captained Glasgow and led the district team to the quarter final play off in the 1997-98 European Cup
and also took West to promotion to the Premiership Division One.
In 1997 he was part of the squad for the Scotland XV tour and played in the three victories on the tour. He won his first A cap in 1997 for Scotland’s victory over Emerging Wales, and went on to play against all of Scotland’s Five Nations
opponents at that level. Later that year Gordon made his Scotland debut back in 1997 against South Africa at Stadium
and in 1999 his performances in Scotland’s Five Nations success saw him force his way into the World XV.
He was called into the squad to cover for an injury to Phil Greening
on the 2001 Lions tour
of Australia. He made five appearances, including a replacement appearance in the first Test in Brisbane
. His only start came against New South Wales
County when the Lions won 46-3.
He was part of Scotland’s 2003 Rugby World Cup squad and in 2004 was rewarded with the role of captain. In 2002 he was named man of the match for his outstanding performance in Scotland’s win over South Africa at Murrayfield.
In 2005 Bulloch captained Scotland
in the Six Nations
and was selected for the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
. He was captain for three of the Lions mid week games, before making his Test debut in the final Test game of the tour - becoming the only Scot to do so on the tour. He also made headlines when a clash of heads during training with John Hayes
was reported in the media as a fight. He retired from international rugby union shortly after his return from Lions duty.
Gordon joined Leeds Tykes
in 2005 on a two year contact. Unfortunately Leeds Tykes were recently relegated from the Guinness Premiership in England and subsequently freed several players including Gordon.
Gordon now works for Highland Galvanisers in Elgin as a technical consultant.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who is hooker for West of Scotland F.C. and formerly Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
. Gordon Bulloch is Scotland’s third most capped player with a total of 75 and their most-capped hooker. He previously played for Glasgow and Leeds Tykes
Leeds Tykes
Leeds Carnegie is an English rugby union club, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, currently playing in the RFU Championship. In recent years, they have bounced between the Premiership and the second-level National Division One, now known as the RFU Championship; they were either promoted or relegated...
.
Gordon has played for Scotland at U19 and U21 level and has been in four tours in South Africa. In 1996 he was an important player in helping the Scots to fourth place in the 1996 Students' World Cup.
He made his debut for West of Scotland in 1995 against the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
team Griqualand West
Griqualand West
Griqualand West is an area of central South Africa with an area of 40,000 km² that now forms part of the Northern Cape Province. It was inhabited by the Griqua people - a semi-nomadic, Afrikaans-speaking nation of mixed-race origin, who established several states outside the expanding frontier...
. He went on to captain them in 1996-97. He has also captained Glasgow and led the district team to the quarter final play off in the 1997-98 European Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
and also took West to promotion to the Premiership Division One.
In 1997 he was part of the squad for the Scotland XV tour and played in the three victories on the tour. He won his first A cap in 1997 for Scotland’s victory over Emerging Wales, and went on to play against all of Scotland’s Five Nations
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
opponents at that level. Later that year Gordon made his Scotland debut back in 1997 against South Africa at Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
and in 1999 his performances in Scotland’s Five Nations success saw him force his way into the World XV.
He was called into the squad to cover for an injury to Phil Greening
Phil Greening
Phil Greening is a former English rugby union footballer. Greening finished his rugby career with London Wasps in 2005. During his career he earned 24 caps for England, as well as going to Australia with the British and Irish Lions in 2001.His rugby career started at his place of birth, Gloucester...
on the 2001 Lions tour
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
of Australia. He made five appearances, including a replacement appearance in the first Test in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. His only start came against New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
County when the Lions won 46-3.
He was part of Scotland’s 2003 Rugby World Cup squad and in 2004 was rewarded with the role of captain. In 2002 he was named man of the match for his outstanding performance in Scotland’s win over South Africa at Murrayfield.
In 2005 Bulloch captained Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in the Six Nations
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
and was selected for the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
. He was captain for three of the Lions mid week games, before making his Test debut in the final Test game of the tour - becoming the only Scot to do so on the tour. He also made headlines when a clash of heads during training with John Hayes
John Hayes (rugby player)
John Hayes is an Irish rugby union player, who plays in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup for Munster. Having spent his underage career playing with the local Cappamore GAA club, he was 18 when he started playing rugby. It was his size which enabled him to overcome his late start to the sport...
was reported in the media as a fight. He retired from international rugby union shortly after his return from Lions duty.
Gordon joined Leeds Tykes
Leeds Tykes
Leeds Carnegie is an English rugby union club, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, currently playing in the RFU Championship. In recent years, they have bounced between the Premiership and the second-level National Division One, now known as the RFU Championship; they were either promoted or relegated...
in 2005 on a two year contact. Unfortunately Leeds Tykes were recently relegated from the Guinness Premiership in England and subsequently freed several players including Gordon.
Gordon now works for Highland Galvanisers in Elgin as a technical consultant.