An elite ball carrier, nicknamed pinball for his ability to bounce off tackles in the loose, Hamish Watson has developed in to one of world rugby's most exciting openside flankers.
Watson moved north from the Leicester Tigers Academy for a centrally held Scotland 7s contract in the summer of 2011 before being approached to join the club's elite development programme following a string of impressive showings in the back-row.
Watson made his first appearance for the club against Cardiff Blues in 2011, but it wasn't until 2013 that the back-row grabbed his first try for the club. It happened to be on his first start for the capital side against Ospreys.
The back-row nailed down a starting spot at the beginning of the 2014/15 season as Edinburgh stared the year with an impressive away victory over Munster, and it wasn't long until Watson was playing himself into international contention.
The back-row was rewarded with a senior international debut in the 2015 RBS 6 Nations Championship, against Italy at BT Murrayfield.
It was just over a year until Watson got another chance at senior international honours, an opportunity he grabbed with both hands, bringing his relentless club form to the national team set-up and subsequently earning the starting seven jersey in all but one of eight tests in an impressive 2016/17 season.
The icing on the cake came in the second summer test when his lung-busting support line saw him cross the whitewash for his second Scotland try against the Wallabies, in the national team's historic win in Sydney.
Hamish went on to start in all Autumn Tests that year, as well as Scotland's five tests at the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations.
Watson made his 100th appearance in the 1872 Cup match-up against Glasgow Warriors in April 2019, while he signed a two-year extension ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
Having suffered an injury at 2019 Rugby World Cup, Watson worked tirelessly to return to action and made his comeback in a famous away victory over Munster in November of the same season.
The back-row's every-industrious form continued into 2020-21 as he picked up Player of the Match in the club's Heineken Champions Cup victory away to Sale Sharks in December 2020.
Watson agreed terms to a new long-term deal with the club in January 2021 and joined back-row teammates Bill Mata and Jamie Ritchie in commiting his future to Edinburgh Rugby.
Home Shirt Sponsor: David Russell
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Date of birth: 15 October 1991
Height: 6'1
Place of birth: Manchester
Weight: 102kg
International career

Scotland - 25 Caps
Stats
Appearances
Total Points
Tries
Other players

Jamie Hodgson
Lock

Sam Grahamslaw
Loosehead

Angus Williams
Tighthead

Stuart McInally
Hooker

WP Nel
Tighthead

Ben Toolis
Lock

Jamie Ritchie
Blindside Flanker

Rory Darge
Blindside Flanker

Andries Ferreira
Lock

Simon Berghan
Tighthead

Lee-Roy Atalifo
Tighthead

Mesu Kunavula
Openside Flanker

Ally Miller
Openside Flanker

Murray McCallum
Tighthead

Boan Venter
Loosehead

Sam Kitchen
Hooker

Pierre Schoeman
Loosehead

Magnus Bradbury
Number 8

Dave Cherry
Hooker

Fraser McKenzie
Lock

Lewis Carmichael
Lock

Nick Haining
Blindside Flanker

Mike Willemse
Hooker

Connor Boyle
Openside Flanker

Luke Crosbie
Openside Flanker

Rory Sutherland
Loosehead

Andrew Davidson
Lock

Grant Gilchrist
Lock

Viliame Mata
Number 8
