Former Scotland and Lions prop Tom Smith dies at 50

Former Scotland captain and British and Irish Lions prop Tom Smith has died at the age of 50, Scottish Rugby said on Wednesday.

Smith, who was capped 61 times by his country between 1997 and 2005 and played in six tests in a row with the British and Irish Lions, was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer in 2019.

Part of the Scotland side that won the final Five Nations Championship in 1999, he was inducted into the Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame last November.

"Tom was one of the toughest and most skilful players I had the pleasure to call a teammate," said Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend.

"He succeeded in the most challenging of environments and kept up a high level of play well into his thirties.

"I am convinced that he will be regarded as one of our best ever players and his loss will be felt by all those who played with him or watched him for club and country over the years."