Former internationals Sir Ian McGeechan, John Jeffrey, John Beattie, Chris Rea and Norman Mair were given the task of selecting the 'Hall of Fame' members and, as well as the eight players from the prescribed eras, they also added four 'Special Award' winners to the list.
"We have been trail-blazers in many regards - whether playing and hosting the first ever rugby international in 1871, to establishing the phenomenon that is seven-a-side rugby - and it is right and proper that Scottish Rugby pays public homage to the pioneers and those who have ensured the Scottish rugby flame burns bright," said Scottish Rugby's Chairman, Allan Munro.
Three British & Irish Lions tour captains join Irvine among the elite dozen - David Bedell-Sivright, Finaly Calder and Gavin Hastings.
"There are many candidates for inclusion in the Hall of Fame and identifying the first 12 inductees has provoked very lively debate. It's something that I suppose we've all done in our time in a rugby clubhouse, but it's been both a huge responsibility and privilege to be involved in this process," said John Jeffrey.
"But we also believed it was particularly important to involve Scotland supporters in establishing the Hall of Fame. Supporters voted in a poll on the Scottish Rugby website to select an era from which they would make their choice and then chose from six strong candidates."
The 12 inductees are:
Pre World War 1
David Bedell-Sivright (Cambridge Uni, Edinburgh Uni ,West of Scotland)
B&I Lions 1903, 1904
Debuting against Wales in 1900, David went on to win 22 Scotland caps. A pioneer of the wing forward role, he was regarded as the hardest man to play for Scotland and is the only Scot ever to play in three Triple Crown winning sides (1901, 1903 and 1907). He was the only player to tour with both the 1903 and 1904 British Isles sides (captaining the 1904 Australasian tour, aged 23) and also captained Scotland. After he retired from international rugby he became the 1909 Scottish heavyweight amateur boxing champion. A surgeon by profession, he died on active service at Gallipoli.
World War 1-World War 2
Phil Macpherson (Oxford University, Edinburgh Academicals)
Phil won 26 caps, making his international debut against France in 1922, and went on to become Scotland's first Grand Slam skipper in 1925. Rated the most brilliant attacking centre of his era, he played his last game against England in 1932. He was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
1945-1959
Ken Scotland (Cambridge University, Heriot's, Leicester)
B&I Lions 1959
A full-back or stand-off who won 32 caps for his country. He was a world-class and gifted individual, who set new standards for full-back play, pioneering the counter-attack role. One of the stars of the 1959 Lions tour to Australasia, scoring 12 tries, he also represented Scotland at cricket.
1960s
Sandy Carmichael (West of Scotland)
B&I Lions Tours 1971, 1974
He was one of the speediest, most versatile props ever to pull on an international jersey. Making his debut against Ireland in 1967, he went on to earn 50 caps, a record for a Scottish forward at the time. He played for the British Lions on the 1971 tour to New Zealand and 1974 tour of South Africa. One of the bravest and fairest players to grace the game, his last international was against Ireland in 1978.
1970s
Andy Irvine (Heriot's)
B&I Lions Tours 1974, 1977, 1980
Andy won 51 caps - 15 as captain - and scored 273 points for Scotland. One of rugby's greatest running full-backs made his international debut against New Zealand in 1972. He went on three Lions tours and scored a record five tries in a single game against King Country during the 1977 trip New Zealand. He was recently named as the manager of the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia and is a former President of the SRU and current chairman of the Magners League.
1980s
Finlay Calder (Stewart's-Melville FP)
B&I Lions Tour 1989
Uncompromising in both attack and defence, Finlay made his Scotland debut against France in 1986 and went on to win 34 caps. He was the first Scot to captain the British & Irish Lions since Mike Campbell-Lamerton in 1966, the first winning captain since Willie John McBride in 1974 and the only 20th century captain to lead the team to a series victory after losing the opening Test.
1990s
Gavin Hastings (Cambridge Uni, Watsonians, London Scottish)
B&I Lions Tours 1989, 1993
Gavin was chosen by a public vote from the following candidates - Scott Hastings, David Sole, Gary Armstrong, Bryan Redpath and Alan Tait. He won 61 caps and was Scotland's leading points scorer of his generation with 667. He captained both Scotland and the Lions, for whom he made six Test appearances, and played his final game at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa.
2000s
Ian McGeechan (Headingley)
B&I Lions Tours 1974, 1977
B& I Lions Coach 1989, 1993, 1997, 2005, 2009
Sir Ian made his international debut as a player against New Zealand in 1972. Capped 32 times for Scotland, he toured with the Lions as a plalyer in 1974 and 1977, playing in all eight Tests. He played his last international in 1979 and soon moved into coaching, becoming assistant Scotland coach in 1986. Promoted to coach in 1988, his team won a Grand Slam in 1990. He was Head Coach on the Lions tours in 1989, 1993, 1997 and 2009 and was an assistant coach in 2005. He rejoined Scotland as head coach in 1999.
Special Award
Ned Haig
The butcher from the Borders is acknowledged as the founding father of Rugby Sevens. In 1883 Ned's club, Melrose, was reportedly suffering a shortage of cash and during a club meeting he suggested putting on a rugby tournament as part of a fund-raising sports day. There wasn't enough time to play several full XV rugby games in one afternoon, so teams were pared down to seven men, with match times reduced to 15 minutes. Ned Haig's inspiration is now played worldwide and has been instrumental in seeing rugby return to the Olympic Games.
Special Award
Bill McLaren
The peerless Voice of Rugby, Bill was synonymous with rugby across the globe. Awarded the MBE, OBE and CBE, the Freedom of Scottish Rugby in 2000 and the first non-international player to be inducted into the IRB's Hall of Fame in 2001, he switched off his microphone for the last time in 2002. He died in January 2010.
Special Award
Jim Telfer
B&I Lions 1966, 1968
B&I Lions Coach 1993, 1997
Jim represented Scotland and the Lions both as player and coach. He won 22 caps before becoming a pivotal figure in Scotland's 1984 and 1990 Grand Slams as a coach. He also coached Scotland to their final Five Nations Championship triumph in 1999. He was head coach of the Lions in New Zealand in 1993 and assisted Ian McGeechan in plotting the downfall of the Springboks in 1997.
Special Award
Gordon Brown
B&I Lions 1971, 974, 1977
A triple Lion who won eight Test caps, Gordon followed his elder brother Peter into the Scottish pack. 'Broon frae Troon' was the son of a Scotland goalkeeper who won the first of his 30 Scottish caps in a win against South Africa in 1969. He died, aged 53, in 2001.
Scottish Rugby intends to hold subsequent induction ceremonies on a 12-18 month basis.
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