Doug Morgan won plenty of respect in NZ

Popular Scotland and British & Irish Lions halfback Doug Morgan died at the weekend after a long illness, aged 73.

Among his 21 caps for Scotland, and two for the Lions on their 1977 tour of New Zealand, were two famous Test matches at Eden Park in which he impressed New Zealanders with his ability, grit and determination.

The first was the Water Polo Test of 1975, the All Blacks' only Test of that year.

The game was played on a water-covered ground and life could not have been much more difficult than attempting to play halfback under such conditions.

The All Blacks won 24-0 with Bryan Williams scoring two tries and lock Hamish Macdonald aqua-planing to another with a bow wave that would have done the Queen Mary proud.

Two years later Morgan was back with the Lions in the series-deciding fourth Test in Auckland. The Lions were looking to back up their effort of winning the series as on their previous tour in 1971.

They poured the pressure on the All Blacks, who at one stage famously resorted to a three-man scrum, and while Morgan scored all the Lions' points it was a late try to flanker Lawrie Knight that secured the 10-9 win for the All Blacks.

Morgan is remembered in Scotland for managing to disrupt Welsh and Lions great Gareth Edwards in their Murrayfield win over Wales to claim a 10-9 win.

Two years later, in front of a world-record 104,000 fans at Murrayfield, the goal-kicking halfback landed three penalty goals to help his side to a 12-10 win over Wales.

He later captained Scotland and once his playing career was complete he moved into coaching working with Sir Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer as Scotland won the 1990 Grand Slam and then reached the semi-finals of the 1991 Rugby World Cup.

As head coach, he saw Scotland reach the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup in South Africa before they were beaten by the All Blacks.

McGeechan said of Morgan, "Dougie had a deep understanding of the game and was tactically very aware. I will never forget him standing on Gareth Edwards' foot to distract him whilst trying to put the ball into the scrum, an approach which stopped Wales playing and we ultimately won the game. He was also a natural goal kicker.

"His support was never better than with Jim Telfer, Derek Grant and me we had a coaching group which shared ideas, particularly in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup in 1991," he said.

Morgan also managed Scotland's Sevens side and the Scotland A team which also won a Grand Slam in 1998.

Coach Gregor Townsend said of him: "Dougie was a hugely popular figure in his time as manager of the national team, someone who enjoyed having a laugh with the players, although he kept his natural competitive instinct whenever we took him on at pool or on the golf course. He has contributed a huge amount to Scottish rugby and he'll be sorely missed."