- Date of Birth31 / 10 / 1903
- Died18 / 09 / 1972
- Lions Tours1924
- International CapsScotland / Lions
- Lions Origin SchoolsWinchester College, Cargilfield Prep School Edinburgh
- Lions Origin ClubsEdinburgh University, Oxford University, London Scottish, Barbarians
Ian Scott Smith held the international Test try-scoring record from when he retired in 1933 until 1987. His 24 tries is still the most-ever by a Scot.
Born in Melbourne and raised in New Zealand, he began his rugby career with Oxford University before helping Scotland to their maiden Five Nations Grand Slam in 1925.
Smith scored three tries on debut against Wales at Inverleith and the winger was unsurprisingly selected to travel on the first post-war Lions Tour.
Opponent for Wales and Lions team-mate Rowe Harding dubbed him “the greatest wing of all time”.
Though he never quite hit his outrageous try-scoring feats for Scotland in Lions colours – he scored eight tries in the opening two rounds of the 1925 Five Nations – he started both Tests for the Lions in 1924.
He played six games in all, scoring five tries against Western Province Universities, Rhodesia, Witwatersrand and Natal.