{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player}} {{other people}} {{Use British English|date=August 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = David Tait | image = David Tait.jpg | birth_name = David Campbell Tait | birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1987|07|05}} | birth_place = Sale, Greater Manchester | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2012|12|12|1987|07|05}} | death_place = Kowloon, Hong Kong | height = {{height|ft=6|in=4}} | weight = {{convert|105|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} | school = Sale Grammar School<ref name="Advertiser20080704">{{cite news|url=http://menmedia.co.uk/trafford/sport/rugby_union/sale_sharks/s/1056794_kiwis_tutor_tait|first=Jenny|last=Dixon|title=Kiwis tutor Tait|work=The Advertiser|date=4 July 2008|accessdate=16 December 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505035229/http://menmedia.co.uk/trafford/sport/rugby_union/sale_sharks/s/1056794_kiwis_tutor_tait|archive-date=5 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> | university = | relatives = | ru_position = Number Eight, Flanker | ru_currentteam = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Broughton Park Rugby Union F.C | youthclubs2 = Altrincham Kersal | years1 = 2005–2010 | clubs1 = Sale Sharks | apps1 = 28 | points1 = 0 | repsevensyears1 = 2009–2010 | repsevensteam1 = Scotland | repsevenscomp1 = Dubai }}
'''David Tait''' (5 July 1987 – 12 December 2012)<ref name="BBC">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20710764 |title=Former Sale Sharks rugby player David Tait dies in fall |work=BBC News |date=16 January 2012 |accessdate=13 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213140727/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20710764 |archive-date=13 December 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> was a professional rugby union player for Sale Sharks in the Guinness Premiership.
==Career== Tait played as a Number 8, although he could also operate as a Flanker. He also represented Scotland at rugby sevens. Tait made his Sale debut in a Powergen Cup match against Llanelli Scarlets.<ref name="Scarlets 24-23 Sale">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/4476522.stm|title=Scarlets 24–23 Sale|work=BBC News|date=2 December 2005|accessdate=22 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060524131523/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/4476522.stm|archive-date=24 May 2006|url-status=live}}</ref> He "left the club in 2010 after suffering persistent injuries, having made just 40 appearances".<ref name="BBC"/>
Tait represented the England Under 20 team.<ref name="Tait and smile as England Under-20s rack up five-try win">{{cite web|url=http://www.rfu.com/News/2007/February/News%20Articles/TaitAndSmileAsEnglandUnder-20sRackUpFive-tryWin?a=1&y=2007 |title=Tait and smile as England Under-20s rack up five-try win |publisher=Rugby Football Union|date=2 February 2007 |accessdate=22 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918044336/http://www.rfu.com/News/2007/February/News%20Articles/TaitAndSmileAsEnglandUnder-20sRackUpFive-tryWin?a=1&y=2007 |archivedate=18 September 2012}}</ref> He was called up to the England sevens training squad for the 2008–09 IRB Sevens World Series.<ref name="England 7s begin route to Rugby World Cup">{{cite news|url=http://www.scrum.com/sevens/rugby/story/80127.html|title=England 7s begin route to Rugby World Cup|work=ESPN Scrum|date=2 October 2008|accessdate=22 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107154023/http://www.scrum.com/sevens/rugby/story/80127.html|archive-date=7 January 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> However, Tait did not represent England and later competed for Scotland at the 2009 Dubai Sevens.<ref name="Scotland Sevens strong for Dubai">{{cite web|url=http://www.irb.com/irbsevens/edition=1/news/newsid=2034680.html|title=Scotland Sevens strong for Dubai|publisher=International Rugby Board|date=26 November 2009|accessdate=14 December 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091130231242/http://www.irb.com/irbsevens/edition%3D1/news/newsid%3D2034680.html|archivedate=30 November 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In November 2011, Tait started a career at KPMG Hong Kong in the Corporate Finance team. While there, he also became captain for the Kowloon RFC first fifteen.<ref name="SCMP">{{cite news|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1104770/second-death-4-days-hits-hong-kongs-rugby-community|first=Alvin|last=Sallay|first2=Clifford|last2=Lo|title=Second death in 4 days hits Hong Kong's rugby community|work=South China Morning Post|date=14 December 2012|accessdate=14 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214060654/http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1104770/second-death-4-days-hits-hong-kongs-rugby-community|archive-date=14 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> He went on to lead the first team to their first Hong Kong Premiership League title in 30 years, during the 2011–2012 season.
==Personal life== Tait was born in Sale, Greater Manchester, England,{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} where he attended Sale Grammar School.<ref name="Advertiser20080704"/> Later he attended Sedbergh School and took a history degree at Manchester University. He was of Scottish descent on his father's side.<ref>{{cite news |first=Neil |last=Leigh |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/rugby_union/s/1188859_sevens_heaven_for_tait |title=Sevens heaven for Tait |work=Manchester Evening News |date=13 January 2010 |accessdate=13 December 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421090138/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/rugby_union/s/1188859_sevens_heaven_for_tait |archive-date=21 April 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> His father Campbell Tait, a judge, died in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/125/125604_judge_death_riddle.html|first=John|last=Scheerhout|title=Judge death riddle|work=Manchester Evening News|date=30 July 2004|accessdate=16 December 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130420234905/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/125/125604_judge_death_riddle.html|archive-date=20 April 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/9743141/Rugby-world-mourns-after-David-Tait-falls-to-his-death-in-Hong-Kong.html|title=Rugby world mourns after David Tait falls to his death in Hong Kong|work=The Telegraph|date=13 December 2012|accessdate=16 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121216015943/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/9743141/Rugby-world-mourns-after-David-Tait-falls-to-his-death-in-Hong-Kong.html|archive-date=16 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Death== Tait died after falling from the roof of the Harbourview Horizon apartment block in Hung Hom, Hong Kong, on 12 December 2012.<ref name="SCMP"/><ref>{{cite web |author=Jennifer Williams |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1596012_former-sale-sharks-star-david-tait-dies-in-hong-kong-apartment-plunge |title=Former Sale Sharks star David Tait dies in Hong Kong apartment plunge |work=Manchester Evening News |date=13 December 2012 |accessdate=13 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121215212230/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1596012_former-sale-sharks-star-david-tait-dies-in-hong-kong-apartment-plunge |archive-date=15 December 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> The coroner was unable to determine if the fall was suicide or an accident.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-02-23 |title=British coroner records open verdict on rugby star David Tait found dead in pool |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1433450/british-coroner-records-open-verdict-rugby-star-david-tait-found-dead |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref> The Hong Kong national rugby union team wore black armbands during the 2012 Cup of Nations in his memory.<ref name="SCMP"/>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[http://www.salesharks.com/player_info?id=95 Sale Sharks profile] *[http://www.scotlandrugbyteam.org/content/view/1542/83/ Scotland profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719162943/http://www.scotlandrugbyteam.org/content/view/1542/83/ |date=19 July 2011 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tait, David}} Category:1987 births Category:2012 deaths Category:2012 suicides Category:English rugby union players Category:Rugby union number eights Category:Sportspeople from Sale, Greater Manchester Category:Rugby union players from Greater Manchester Category:Sale Sharks players Category:English people of Scottish descent Category:People educated at Sedbergh School Category:Alumni of the University of Manchester Category:English expatriates in Hong Kong Category:Suicides in Hong Kong Category:Deaths from falls Category:Male rugby sevens players Category:Scotland international rugby sevens players