Scott Hastings Dies Aged 61 After Complications From Cancer Treatment, Family Says

Scott Hastings, one of Scotland’s most beloved rugby union players and a member of the nation’s last Grand Slam-winning side, died at the age of 61 after complications from cancer treatment, his family said in a statement.

“- Published The rain was belting down in Invercargill, the southernmost spot in New Zealand, a place founded by a Scottish settler in the 1850s and nicknamed the city of water and light”

BBC

The former Scotland centre, who won 65 caps for his country, played alongside his brother Gavin Hastings in the iconic Scotland team that captured the 1990 Five Nations Grand Slam under Jim Telfer.

BBC

In 2022, Hastings revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer and was receiving treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, an illness he said could not be cured.

A statement released on Sunday by his children, Corey and Kerry-Anne, confirmed that Hastings passed away peacefully surrounded by family on the morning of Sunday, May 17, and asked for privacy as more information would be shared in due course.

The family said he was undergoing cancer treatment and, due to complications, deteriorated extremely quickly despite every effort by the Western General ICU, where he passed away peacefully and pain free.

Scott Hastings’ death drew tributes from figures across Scottish rugby, including current Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, who called him an “iconic figure for Scottish rugby” and said he “always brought positivity and energy into everything he did.”

The Straits Times also quoted Townsend’s tribute on May 17, tying Hastings’ legacy to his playing career and later work as a widely travelled and respected commentator.

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Former Scotland and Lions boss Sir Ian McGeechan said, “Whatever jersey Scott wore, he just made it better,” and described how he and Hastings “came into the Scotland set-up” together.

McGeechan added that he “remember Scott on the Lions tours taking an absolute lead,” portraying Hastings as “so single-minded and determined about winning.”

The BBC described Hastings as “a force of energy and positivity,” recounting how he adapted to circumstances in Invercargill during the Rugby World Cup in September 2011 and continued to bring that same spirit into charity work and family life.

Hastings’ family statement linked his final days to his cancer treatment, saying he passed away peacefully and pain free after deteriorating extremely quickly due to complications.

The BBC said Hastings had been fighting non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and described how he spoke about it “with humour and with a fierce determination to beat it,” while also facing the suffering of his beloved wife, Jenny, who had been living with depression for two decades before taking her own life in the autumn of 2024.

The BBC reported that Jenny, who was 60, disappeared in the water after going for a swim in Wardie Bay in Edinburgh, and that Hastings said returning to swim in the bay brought him comfort and a place of healing.

In the aftermath of his death, the family asked everyone to give them space to process and manage their energies and to respect their privacy, while the statement said more information would be shared “in due course to celebrate Scott’s incredible life.”

Ruck.co.uk also noted that Hastings remained a hugely respected figure within the rugby community long after his retirement, and it quoted a tribute that said, “Dreadful news about the death ofScottHastings. Unstoppable force of nature on and off the field.”