The Bill McLaren Centenary Exhibition

Commemorating the centenary of the birth of Hawick’s own Voice of Rugby, this exhibition tells the story of Bill McLaren’s life from the wee boy breaking a neighbour’s windows with his first rugby ball, through his time as a pupil at Hawick High School to his experience during the war in Italy.  Learn about his brave recovery from tuberculosis and his time teaching P.E. in Hawick as well as his career as a journalist, writer and broadcaster.

See the organised chaos of Bill’s study, recreated and hear from Bill himself in his last recorded interview how he prepared for his famous match commentaries. Be amazed, if not mesmerised, by his famous Big Sheets before having a try at recording your own commentary on the moment Tony Stanger went over to score the winning try in the 1990 Grand Slam. You can also get up close to the number 14 jersey that Tony wore that day- something none of his English opponents succeeded in doing!

As Bill McLaren himself might have said, ‘A day at these exhibitions will not be a day wasted!’

This exhibition is a partnership between The Bill McLaren Foundation, Hawick Rugby Football Club and Live Borders with support from SSE Renewables and Scottish Borders Council.