Scott Hastings, the Scottish rugby legend, has died at the age of 61 on the birthday of his late wife Jenny, two years after she vanished while swimming. Hastings passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Sunday 17 May after a four-year battle with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to a statement released by Scottish Rugby.
His wife Jenny Hastings disappeared while swimming at Wardle Bay in Edinburgh in 2024, after a long struggle with mental health. Her body was discovered on the couple's wedding anniversary, 7 September 2024. The Hastings family said at the time that she had swum out into the Firth of Forth, wishing to end her suffering in a place that was regular and healing for her.
Scott Hastings, who won 65 caps for Scotland over 11 years and represented the British & Irish Lions on two tours, was inducted into the Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame last October. He remains Scotland's most capped male centre of all time. Tributes have poured in from former teammates and coaches, including Sir Ian McGeechan, who praised his single-minded determination.
Gregor Townsend, former teammate and Scotland head coach, described Hastings as an iconic figure for Scottish rugby, highlighting his defensive display in the 1990 Grand Slam victory over England. The flag at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium will fly at half-mast in his honour.
