Obituary: Richard Cramb

Richard passed away after a long and courageous fight against cancer yesterday, Monday 22 December 2025.

Born in Falkirk on 7 September 1963, Richard Ian Cramb gave a lifetime of service to rugby both on and off the field.

A gifted footballer, unassuming, but fiercely determined, Cramb won promotion from two appearances for Scotland B to gain his first cap in the 1987 inaugural Rugby World Cup. He earned his honours in the  victory against Romania in Dunedin.

Richard joined Quins in the 1982/3 season. He was to play for seven seasons for the club. In total he made probably 100 appearances for the 1st XV. He made his debut for the 1stXV as a nineteen year old student against Leicester on March 5th 1983 in what was then a rare victory at Welford Road. A fortnight earlier, he had been instrumental in the Wanderers victory over Richmond in the semi-final of the Middlesex Cup.

For the 1st XV, Richard scored 109 points, which included 14 drop goals. His only regret was that, in the 1987/8 season, injury meant he lost his place as fly-half to Adrian Thompson and did not play in the victory in the 1988 John Player Cup Final. His last match for Quins was at the end of the following season against Moseley on 22nd March 1989.

Whilst with Quins, he was capped by Scotland.

In total, he won four caps for Scotland between 1987 and 1988, landing a drop-goal in the 23-12 Five Nations Championship success against France at Murrayfield in February 1988.

Cramb also toured Zimbabwe with Scotland later that summer.

In 2025 he was inducted to the London Scottish Hall of Fame, and it would be fair to say he had a similarly positive and uplifting impact throughout a distinguished career at several clubs.

His London Scottish, and Scotland international, teammate Gavin Hastings paid tribute to Richard: “Cramby was a very understated player and a true team man. Unquestionably, one of Rugby’s Mr Nice Guys. RIP Cramby.”

He represented Durham City, Harlequins, Aspen (USA), London Scottish, Wellington College Old Boys in New Zealand, Newcastle Gosforth and Tynedale.

Also playing tribute to Richard was Scotland and Harlequins teammate Iain Milne: “From everyone at Harlequins you were a gifted and highly talented number 10, your team always had huge faith and confidence in your command of the game, especially under pressure, but just as importantly you were a top man.”

Cramb also played for the Barbarians against Newport in 1987 and was a pivotal figure for the Anglo-Scots.

Cramb represented Tynedale for four seasons between 1996 and 2000, playing 95 matches and scoring 294 points (including 18 tries and 24 drop goals).