Ian Stuart Gallacher was born in Llanelli on 22 May 1946 and educated at Llanelli Grammar School. He entered the police force but in his later career was a sales representative, company director, and chief executive of Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets. Equally at home in the second and back rows of the scrum, Stuart Gallacher gained his only cap for Wales in 1970, playing at lock and scoring the match-winning try against France. He then transferred to rugby league and played for Bradford Northern. His 12 games for the Barbarians included the tour to South Africa in 1969 and against the Springboks, while still uncapped, in 1970 and Scotland three months later.