The Anthem Mix Up That Became a Tradition - Scottish Rugby

Julie Beels, 39, now events lead at Scottish Rugby working on all major events including Oasis’ three sell out gigs earlier this week, was just 21 at the time, working matchday as a freelance entertainment producer. She was responsible for rehearsals, flag bearers and calling the show live – but one small misunderstanding changed Scottish Gas Murrayfield’s matchday forever.

She said: “It’s funny to look back on now, but at the time I thought I’d lose my job. We’d only played both verses before, and at the sound check the pipe band asked if we wanted it once or twice and I said, ‘Once is fine – it’s only the sound checks’. I thought they knew we’d play both verses for real ahead of the match.

“Minutes later, the pipers stopped playing after the first verse of the anthem and my heart just sank. There I was, in front of 67,000 people, thinking, ‘That’s it. I’m done.