Background
Elliot was born into a farming family in the Scottish Borders. Bill McLaren described him as "a tough rugged son of the soil".
Elliot was born into a farming family in the Scottish Borders. Bill McLaren described him as "a tough rugged son of the soil".
He was educated at Saint Mary"s School, Melrose and at Loretto School, Musselburgh.
After school he joined Gala Reconstruction Finance Corporation and played for the 2XV at lock. He soon moved to loose-head prop and over the next fifteen years made the position his own. Early in his career he gained a reputaion for rumbustious play.
Elliot made his debut for Scotland in the 1955 Five Nations Championship.
Scotland beat Wales 14-8 at Murrayfield. His next match against Ireland resulted in another victory at the same venue.
Elliot also played in a narrow 9-6 defeat to England at Twickenham. In the 1956 Five Nations Championship he played all four matches.
He played two matches in the 1958 Five Nations Championship, losing to Wales and Ireland.
In between he played in a 12-8 victory over Australia at Murrayfield on their 1957-1958 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France. Elliot was selected for the 1955 British Lions tour to South Africa, alongside his compatriot and fellow prop Hugh McLeod. If it were not for the outstanding Meredith brothers from Wales, they would have played in the Test matches.
As it was Elliot played eight of the midweek games.
He also played for the Barbarian F.C. Elliot had farming interests in the Borders and Sutherland.
He was a former president of the Selkirk branch of the National Farmers Union of Scotland, and former president of the Borders area. Foreign his contributions to farming he was awarded an Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1989.
Elliot was also a past president of the Cheviot Sheep Society, member of the government"s Hill Advisory Committee and a director of the Moredun Foundation.