Career Record: Played 24: Won 12, Drew 2, Lost 10
Test Points: 4
Tries: 1.
1977 v England (Twickenham) L 26-6 (FN)
1977 v Ireland (Murrayfield) W 21-18 (FN)
1977 v France (Paris) L 23-3 (FN)
1981 v France (Paris) L 16-9 (FN)
1981 v Wales (Murrayfield) W 15-6 (FN)
1981 v England (Twickenham) L 23-17 (FN)
1981 v Ireland (Murrayfield) W 10-9 (FN)
1981 v New Zealand (Dunedin) L 11-4
1981 v New Zealand (Auckland) L 40-15
1981 v Romania (Murrayfield) W 12-6
1981 v Australia (Murrayfield) W 24-15
1982 v England (Murrayfield) D 9-9 (FN)
1982 v Ireland (Dublin) L 21-12 (FN)
1982 v France (Murrayfield) W 16-7 (FN)
1982 v Wales (Cardiff) W 34-18 (FN)
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1983 v France (Paris) L 19-15 (FN)
1983 v Wales (Murrayfield) L 19-15 (FN)
1983 v England (Twickenham) W 22-12 (FN)
1983 v New Zealand (Murrayfield) D 25-25
1984 v Wales (Cardiff) W 15-9 (FN)
1984 v England (Murrayfield) W 18-6 (FN)
1984 v Ireland (Dublin) W 32-9 (FN)
1984 v France (Murrayfield) W 21-12 (FN)
1984 v Romania (Bucharest) L 28-22
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Jim Atkin playing rugby for Scotland on 17th. January 1981. Photo G. Herringshaw. ©
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Jim Aitken was a late starter in life on and off the rugby pitch. He underachieved at Penicuik High School but graduated from Edinburgh College of Commerce before pursuing a highly successful career as a grain merchant. A loose head prop, he was a very hard man and brought the same determination and ruthlessness which helped him succeed in business to his rugby career, moving from his local club Penicuik to First Division Gala. Appointed captain he led a very physical, almost brutal, pack which formed the platform for Gala's three championship titles in 1979/80, 1980/81 and 1983/83.
Aitken's international career was late in starting. First capped as a 29-year-old against England in 1977 he usurped previous skipper and double Lion, the legendary Ian McLauchlan. With some doubts about Jim's scrummaging, McLauchlan was recalled at the end of the season and Aitken was consigned to the international wilderness for almost four years. Jim worked hard on the technical aspects of his game and regained the loose head berth against France in 1981, playing in 21 of the next 24 tests. He was appointed Scotland captain against England at Twickenham in 1983 and led his troops to their first win at HQ since 1971, the 22-12 victory meaning they avoided the wooden spoon. He then captained Scotland to a remarkable 25-25 draw against the All Blacks before embarking on the historic Grand Slam season, Scotland's first since 1925. An inspirational skipper, he led from the front and his only test try was a crucial one as it was the winning score against Wales in Cardiff.
The Triple Crown was won in Dublin when the Scots overwhelmed Ireland 32-9 and the Grand Slam was completed in front of an ecstatic Murrayfield crowd in a winner takes all shoot out with France, Scotland victorious by 21 points to 12. That proved to be Aitken's penultimate international appearance with his final Test coming against Romania later that year. His record as captain - played 7, won 6, lost 1 - was a magnificent achievement and he will be remembered as one of Scotland's most successful skippers. (Nick Oswald)
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