Melrose pay tribute to former match-day medic and Scotland A rugby international Graham Dall

Away from the field of play, ex-Heriot’s and Edinburgh flanker Dall, of St Boswells, worked as an orthopaedic surgeon at the Borders General Hospital in Melrose, specialising in ankle and foot surgery, and his medical expertise was regularly called on over recent years while acting as a match-day doctor by the town’s Arnold Clark Premiership team.

Rob Moffat, director of rugby at the Greenyards club, said: “In his medical role at the BGH, Graham has been a fantastic support to rugby clubs, players and their families in the Borders.

“Whether looking after players, giving advice or acting as team doctor at games, such as in the Super6, his service to the game that he graced as a player was brilliant.”

A club spokesperson added: “​All of us at Melrose were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Graham Dall.

“The former Scotland A player had recently become an integrated and committed member of our club medical team here at the Greenyards.

“Graham provided cover as match-day doctor many times for the first XV over the course of last season and went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure all the players were well looked after.

“Graham’s professionalism, commitment and enthusiasm made him a very popular figure within both the rugby and medical community and he will be sorely missed.

“Everyone at the club extends their sincere condolences to Graham Dall’s family and many friends.”

He leaves a wife, Anna, and four children – Niamh, Zoe, Eriska and Fraser.

A funeral service will be held at Melrose Parish Church on Friday, May 30, at 2.30pm and relatives and friends are invited, but his cremation afterwards will be private.

Dall’s playing days saw him captain a Scottish schools side for a month-long 1993 tour of Australia, Scotland’s under-19s for the 1993-94 season and their under-21s for the next two seasons.

Though a full cap eluded him, he was selected for a Scotland XV development side for a 1995 tour of Zimbabwe and played for Scotland A nine times.

At club level, he helped Heriot’s to back-to-back club championships in 1998 and 1999 prior to going professional at Edinburgh Reivers, as the capital city side were known at the time.