Alexander Bennett CarmichaelMBE (2 February 1944 – 27 October 2021)[1] was a Scotland international rugby union player.[2][3]
Rugby Union career
Amateur career
Carmichael was a tighthead prop and part of the West of Scotland side in the 1970s - a powerhouse in UK rugby, averaging 10 internationalists in the team per season, and dominating the domestic league with West's great rivals, Hawick RFC. Carmichael charged down a drop out and returned for a score in a memorable 32-6 victory against Hawick to win the league in 1973.
Carmichael also went on the 1974 tour to South Africa, but did not make the test side.
Canterbury Incident
Carmichael was mainly remembered for being the victim of violence in the 1971 tour where he received five fractures of the cheekbone, yet still played until final whistle.[2] The match was described as an extremely violent match and often referred to as the Battle of Canterbury.[6] The referee at one point told the captains that from that moment onwards he was going to follow the ball and it was up to them to sort out anything else.
Carmichael had to leave the tour following the Canterbury match, as did three other players including Ray McLoughlin the loose head prop. In this one game the Lions lost both of their first choice props. The second string of Ian McLauchlan who was already in the Lions squad and Sean Lynch stepped into the breach and proved very effective; even though the Lions lost some of the options that McLoughlin and Carmichael would have given them. The Lions intended test front row, which included John Pullin of England, came together again for the Barbarians in the famous match against the All Blacks in January 1973.