Playing Position: backrow
Club: Stade
Simon Marcus Taylor enjoyed an outstanding tour of North America with Scotland in the summer of 2002. He scored his first Test try in the match against Canada in which he started at openside flanker and then made some pile-driving contributions when he was fielded at No 8 against the USA. He was named Lloyds TSB Man of the Match for his display against Italy in the 29-12 Scotland victory in February 2002. In summer 2001 Taylor made a try-scoring debut for the British & Irish Lions in their 116-10 victory over Western Australia before a knee injury unfortunately ended his tour. His selection was reward for his first season in international rugby after having made his debut for Scotland in the November 2000 Autumn Test against the USA. The following week he then played 75 minutes with a double fracture of his left hand against the world champion Wallabies. On his return from that injury Taylor impressed in an otherwise lacklustre showing by Edinburgh Reivers (now known as Edinburgh Rugby) against Swansea and then made a top-drawer contribution to Scotland A’s 42-20 win against Wales A, scoring the Scots’ final try. That performance saw him catapulted into the starting line-up for the Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham. Taylor represented Scottish Schools in 1995-96 while he was at Morrison’s Academy, and he went on to play for Scotland’s under-18, under-19, and under-21 teams. He had two seasons in the under-19 team, leading the Scots in the Junior World Championship in France in 1998. After five matches for the national under-21 side in 1998-1999 he went on to play in ten more under-21 internationals in 1999-2000, including the victory over the New Zealand Youth at Jedburgh in December and the draw with Australia during the 2000 Southern Hemisphere Alliance tournament in New Zealand. In that latter match Taylor scored a try. In 1999-2000 he played a pivotal role in Heriot’s FP’s second successive club championship and was rewarded with a professional contract with Edinburgh Reivers at the beginning of season 2000-2001.
2002/3 - Eighthman for Edinburg in Heineken Cup and Scotland Squad
2002 - Scotland vs SA
2003 - Scotland IRB world Cup
2003 - Scotland Incoming Tours to SA
2007 - Scotland IRB World Cup
2008 - Scotland 6Nations Squad |