HAWICK’S Voice of Rugby has now been linked to the Emirates Airline Glasgow Sevens, which take place for the first time at Scotstoun Stadium next month.
The Bill McLaren Foundation has been confirmed as the official charity of the event.
Bill’s daughter, Linda Lawson, said: “Dad adored sevens. His final TV commentary was at the 2002 Melrose Sevens and I remember how excited he was when he came back from Hong Kong for the first time.
“Sevens, and the values of the sport, were so close to Dad’s heart and we are delighted that the foundation will benefit from the official charity status at the Emirates Airline Glasgow Sevens.”
The status means that the foundation will be able to promote its aims to the crowd at the glittering event on May 5 and 6, which involves 16 of the best international sevens teams on the planet as the penultimate leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series.
There will be a bucket collection and guests will be able to sample Bill’s IPA beer, which has been produced for the foundation by the Black Isle Brewing Company near Inverness.
Chris Paterson, Scotland’s cap record-holder cited Bill’s commentary of his 90-metre try for Gala at Melrose when Gala won the Ladies Cup in 1999, as one of his proudest recollections.
He said: “Bill’s description of that try is stuck in my memory and I think it’s really fitting that the foundation has this official link to the Emirates Airline tournament.”
Dominic McKay, Scottish Rugby’s director of communications and public affairs, said: “Bill was renowned around the world as the Voice of Rugby and the flair with which he commentated on some of the best sevens players, Fiji when they were dominant in Hong Kong for example, was such a part of these occasions.
“We are thrilled the foundation will be on board at the Emirates Airline Glasgow Sevens. Tickets are selling fast and it will attract a global TV audience anticipated to be more than 200 million.”