[2] He played at Scrum-half; and was commonly linked with David Chisholm, his pairing at Fly-half for club and country.
[3] He was club captain when Melrose won the Scottish Unofficial Championship in 1962-63 season; and the Border League in that same year.
It was their joint ability to tidy up bad ball and even turn it to advantage that made them the most secure of partnerships.
Both tackled better than many wing forwards, and they would have revelled in the modern game... Their record of going ten internationals without defeat is unparalleled.
[5] Bill McLaren thought that: "Hastie was one of that Border breed of durable scrum-halves, all 'shilpit' little chaps, seemingly in need of a good meal and all of whom, through operating behind lightweight packs always struggling for ball, had to live on their wits and raw courage.