New Scotland skipper Fraser Brown praised by Biggar Rugby Club stalwart

Hooker Brown, 31, raised in Carstairs Village and a player for Biggar between the ages of four and 18, led Scotland to a comfortable 48-7 home win in the Six Nations warm-up clash at Murrayfield, scoring two tries from driving mauls.

And Biggar past president Alistair Stewart told the Carluke and Lanark Gazette: “Fraser led the team out as captain.

“This is a fantastic achievement for the Glasgow Warriors skipper and a huge honour for him.

“Many congratulations to Fraser from all at Biggar.”

Before taking to the field against Georgia, Brown had told the press that captaining his country would be “an enormously proud moment” and one which seemed unlikely a few years ago.

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend described Brown’s appointment as “a great turnaround”, referring to the difficulties the player has had to overcome to reach this point.

His nascent rugby career was almost derailed by serious shoulder and neck injuries that caused him to miss two years and saw him released by Edinburgh, but things are now looking up for him again.

There was a battle with depression which left him feeling isolated, but he returned to pro rugby with Glasgow Warriors, established himself as a Scotland mainstay and won his 51st cap on Friday evening.

Brown has admitted that those events have shaped him but prefers to look forward rather than back.

“Have I paused to reflect on where I’ve come from? No, not really. That was a long time ago,” he said.

“A certain part of that was a previous part of my life which has been a big part in shaping who I am and how I see things now.”

Brown became a father in March and was able to spend quality time with baby Theo while rugby, like all sports, was suspended, and that was a time to take stock, he said.

Scotland complete their delayed Six Nations campaign in Wales this Saturday.