Death of Scottish rugby stalwart Alec Harper
Alexander William Harper was a former head of PE and assistant headmaster at Trinity Academy in Edinburgh. In his playing days he represented Royal High School FP, mainly at stand-off, between 1947 and 1958 and was captain in three of those seasons.
Harper was stand-off in the combined Glasgow/Edinburgh XV who faced South Africa at Old Anniesland in October 1951 and in the same berth he captained Edinburgh to a 24-3 win against North and Midlands at Linksfield in Aberdeen in 1955, scoring one of Edinburgh’s tries that day.
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Hide AdHis lifelong commitment to rugby saw him become an Edinburgh District representative on the SRU General Committee from 1971-1979, a Scotland selector from 1973-1979 and a selector for the 1977 and 1980 British Lions.
Harper died at a nursing home in the Corstorphine area of Edinburgh on 28 December. His funeral will take place in the main chapel at Mortonhall Crematorium in Edinburgh on Friday at 2pm.