| Robert Neilson | |||||||||||
| Birth Name: | Robert Thomson Neilson | ||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 17 November 1878 | ||||||||||
| Birth Place: | Bothwell, Scotland | ||||||||||
| Death Place: | Prestwick, Scotland | ||||||||||
| Ru Position: | Half back | ||||||||||
| Amatteam1: | West of Scotland | ||||||||||
| Ru Provinceyears1: | - | ||||||||||
| Ru Province1: | Glasgow District | ||||||||||
| Repteam1: | Scotland | ||||||||||
| Repyears1: | 1898–1900 | ||||||||||
| Repcaps1: | 6 | ||||||||||
| Reppoints1: | 0 | ||||||||||
| Module2: |
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Robert Neilson (17 November 1874 – 16 July 1946) was a Scotland international rugby union player.[1] [2]
He also played for West of Scotland FC.[1] [3]
He was capped for Glasgow District in 1898.[3]
He was capped six times for between 1898 and 1900.[1] [4]
He was President of the Scottish Rugby Union for the period 1923 to 1924.[5]
His father was James Neilson, an Ironmaster and second cousin of Walter Montgomerie Neilson and his mother was Jane Thomson, daughter of George Thomson, the famous Glasgow shipbuilder. He attended Merchiston Castle School.
He was the brother of George, Gordon and Willie Neilson who were also capped for Scotland.[1] In 1891, he made his debut, along with his brother George in the game against – it is the only time that brothers have debuted together for Scotland, with the exception of the joint debut of Gavin and Scott Hastings.[6] One of the four Neilson brothers played in each of the twenty five matches between Willie and George's debut in 1891, until 1899, when Robert had to withdraw from the Calcutta Cup line-up after breaking his nose.[6] Robert played another match in 1900.[1]
Along with his brothers, Willie and George, he was a president of the Scottish Rugby Union.