He received 2 caps for
Scotland 'B' in 1983 to 1984.
His full international debut was against France in 1986.[4]
He won 34 caps representing
Scotland from 1986 to 1991. His last international game was against
New Zealand in the third-place play-off match in the
1991 Rugby World Cup.
"Calder's ability to use his drive, determination and innate knowledge of the game to overcome his undoubted shortcomings - in particular he was always a bit slow for an out-and-out open-side - helped him become one of the most effective back-row operators of the modern era. If he and the other two members of the Grand Slam back row
John Jeffrey and
Derek White could not impose their own game, they certainly would make sure that the opposition could not impose theirs".[5]
When in 1989 Calder captained the Lions, he was the first Scottish player selected to do this since
Mike Campbell-Lamerton in 1966 and the first captain to lead the side to victory since Willie John McBride in 1974.[6]
His twin brother
Jim Calder also played for Scotland and the Lions.[5] The brothers never played in the same Scotland side; Jim won the last of his caps against Wales in March 1985 and Finlay made his debut against France in January 1986.
Note 1:
Robert Seddon died on tour after a boating accident.
Andrew Stoddart became captain for the remainder of the tour.
Note 2:
Matthew Mullineux decided that after losing the first test that he should withdraw from further test matches, handing on field captaincy to
Frank Stout, but remained tour captain. Note 3:
David Bedell-Sivright was injured during the first test.
Teddy Morgan took over captaincy on the field but Bedell-Sivright remained tour captain. Note 4: The team that
John Raphael captained was not selected by the four Home Nations governing body, but had been organised by Oxford University and billed as the English Rugby Union team. However, it was considered the Combined British team by Argentina because it also included three Scots. Note 5:
Jack Jones was captain for the first test, but
Tommy Smyth remained the tour captain. Note 6:
Bleddyn Williams captained in the third and fourth tests v New Zealand and the first test v Australia. Note 7:
Cliff Morgan captained in the third test. Note 8:
David Watkins captained in the second and foruth tests v New Zealand. Note 9:
Michael Owen captained the Lions in the first tour game, the test vs. Argentina in Cardiff.
Brian O'Driscoll was injured at the beginning of the first test against New Zealand.
Gareth Thomas replaced him as tour captain. Note 10:
Sam Warburton was injured in the second test.
Alun Wyn Jones replaced him as captain for the third test. Note 11: Tour captain
Sam Warburton was named on the bench for the first test.
Peter O'Mahony was the captain on the field.
Note 12: Tour captain
Alun Wyn Jones left the squad for 17 days due to an injury in the first warm-up match, and was replaced by
Conor Murray temporarily.
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