Ben Cairns
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| Full name | Benjamin James Cairns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 29 September 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Leeds , England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 98 kg (15 st 6 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Royal High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Mark Cairns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position(s) | Centre / Full-back / Wing | ||
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| Current team | Retired | ||
| Senior career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 2004–2014 | Edinburgh Rugby | 117 | ((135)) |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 2008–2014 | Scotland | 8 | ((5)) |
Ben Cairns (born 29 September 1985 in Leeds) is a former Scotland rugby union international who played for Edinburgh Rugby in the RaboDirect Pro12.
Cairns' position of choice is as a Centre and he can also operate at Full-back and on the Wing. He won his First Cap for Scotland in Rosario against Argentina and then won his Second in Buenos Aires against the same Opponents a Week later. Before that he was called up to the Scotland squad for the 2008 Six Nations Championship but was not used.
Cairns' retirement from professional rugby due to injury was announced on 24 February 2014.
Cairns played at Currie RFC alongside his brother, former Scotland under-21 internationalist Mark, prior to his signing for the Scottish Pro12 team Edinburgh Rugby on a development contract in 2004, making his debut for the team in the 2005–06 season. Bizarrely, even though Cairns was a contracted apprentice with Edinburgh, he his Celtic League debut by playing for Glasgow Warriors as a replacement while on loan for the match against Ospreys in January 2006. He made his first competitive appearance in the black and red in May 2006, during Edinburgh’s Magners League match against Leinster at Murrayfield.
Cairns was soon singled out as one of the young Scotland backs that may be able to break their distressing lack of creativity in the long-term after some sharp displays at regional level for Edinburgh in both the Magners League and Heineken Cup. He established himself in the team the following season, becoming an important part of the first team. Cairns was voted Edinburgh’s Young Player of the Year for the 2007–08 season. He was selected as Edinburgh captain for the first time in the League match against Newport Gwent Dragons in February 2008 and he responded with a try, underlining his growing importance to the team. The same year he recorded his 50th appearance for Edinburgh against Wasps in December 2008.
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