Edinburgh District (rugby union)

Edinburgh District was a select provincial amateur rugby union team that drew its players mainly from the Edinburgh area, as well as others from the rest of east central Scotland; roughly corresponding to the old Lothian regional council area. Historically the Edinburgh District team played matches against touring teams visiting Scotland from abroad, and also competed in the Scottish Inter-District Championship.

Edinburgh District
Full nameEdinburgh District
Foundedamateur 1872 (1872)
professional 1996 (1996)
LocationEdinburgh, Scotland
Current season

The Edinburgh District rugby union team was founded in 1872. The team played the world's first inter-district match that year against Glasgow District rugby union team.

The amateur Edinburgh District side evolved into the professional Edinburgh Rugby side in 1996; one year after rugby union allowed professionalism in 1995.

Formation

The Edinburgh District side was formed in 1872 to play against a Glasgow District side.

The teams met on 23 November 1872 at Burnbank Park and Edinburgh won 1 drop goal – 0 in a 20-a-side fixture. This is the oldest inter-district match in the world and to mark this the current Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby sides play for the 1872 Cup every year.

The first Edinburgh team in 1872:[1]

 Backs:  A. Ross (Wanderers), J. Patullo (Craigmount), Thomas Roger Marshall (Edinburgh Academicals), W. St. Clair Grant (Craigmount), J. Junor (Royal High School), James Andrew Whitelock Mein (Edinburgh Academicals), and E. Thew (Merchistonians)
 Forwards:  Francis Moncreiff (captain), R. W. Irvine, E. M. Bannerman, James Finlay (Edinburgh Academicals), Angus Buchanan, Alexander Petrie, and M. Sanderson (Royal High School), Charles Cathcart and John Lisle Hall MacFarlane (Edinburgh University), Tom Whittington (Merchistonians), Benjamin Blyth II (Merchistonians), J. Forsyth and A. R. Stewart (Wanderers)

Selection of representative players

Often to aid the selection process of Edinburgh District's players a trial match was played.

In Edinburgh's case a trial match of hopefuls were divided into Stripes and Plain teams, so the players could impress the selectors.[2]

Early history

The Glasgow v Edinburgh district fixture was more or less played annually. The first 15 a side match was played in 1876. Edinburgh won the first fixtures and it wasn't until 1881 that Glasgow won at the thirteenth attempt. Glasgow then held dominance till 1887 when once more Edinburgh won again. From the 1880s to the close of the 1890s Edinburgh won a total of only four times in 20-years. The tide turned back in Edinburgh's favour in 1898. With only a solitary Glasgow win in 1905, Edinburgh held sway until 1914.[3]

The games were postponed during the First World War period. After 50-years at Burnbank - the West of Scotland ground in Woodlands, Glasgow – the Glasgow v Edinburgh fixture moved to Glasgow Academical's ground at Anniesland, Glasgow, in 1922. This move prompted yet another shift in balance as Glasgow once again became the dominant force of the two districts.

Touring sides

Edinburgh often played matches against international and non-international touring teams. Occasionally both Glasgow and Edinburgh would field joint teams against the international touring teams.

Scottish Inter-District Championship

Two other Scottish districts South and North and Midlands had also been formed and there was regular matches between the four Scottish districts as well as against the touring sides.

The Scottish Inter-District Championship was established in the 1953–54 season. The Glasgow District, Edinburgh, South and North and Midlands sides would play off to see which district was best in Scotland. Occasionally London Scottish or an Anglo-Scots team was also invited into this championship.

Effect of professionalism

With the advent of professionalism in 1995, the Scottish Rugby Union realised that not even the best semi-professional Scottish club teams could compete in the new Professional Era in rugby union, which was beginning to gain great momentum in the professional leagues of the Southern Hemisphere and the Northern Hemisphere.

In an attempt to stay in touch with the leading nations the SRU formed four professional teams out of the four amateur districts of Scotland in 1996. It was these newly professional teams that would represent Scotland in the Heineken Cup and in the Celtic League. The amateur Edinburgh District side was to become the professional Edinburgh Rugby side.

For the subsequent history of the professional Edinburgh rugby district team from 1996, see Edinburgh rugby.

Honours

Inter-City

Inter-City No Inter-City played

Glasgow score given first. ᵜ Previous to 1876 only goals counted; tries were ignored in the result.

Scoreline key:

Glasgow win Edinburgh win Draw
Twice a season matches
Season Date Score Report Notes Date Score Report Notes
1872-73 23 Nov 18720 - 1dgReportXX a side15 Jan 18730 - 1 gl, 2trDetailXX a side
1873-74 6 Dec 18730 - 0ReportXX a side24 Jan 18740 - 1 tr ᵜReportXX a side
1874-75 5 Dec 18740 - 0ReportXX a side20 Feb 18750 - 0ReportXX a side
1875-76 18 Dec 18750 - 0ReportXX a side29 Jan 18760 - 0ReportXV a side
Annual matches
Season Date Score Report Notes
1876-77 2 Dec 18760 - 1trReportXV a side from now on
1877-78 1 Dec 18770 - 1dgReport
1878-79 no match; 9 weeks of frost
1879-80 20 Dec 18791gl - 1glReport
1880-81 4 Dec 18800 - 1gl, 2 trlReport
1881-82 3 Dec 18811gl, 1tr - 1trReport
1882-83 2 Dec 18821gl, 1 tr - 0Report
1883-84 1 Dec 18831tr - 1gl, 2trReport
1884-85 6 Dec 18841gl - 1trReport
1885-86 5 Dec 18851gl, 1tr - 1trHampden Park
1886-87 4 Dec 18861tr - 0Report
1887-88 3 Dec 18870 - 2gl, 3trReport
1888-89 1 Dec 18881gl - 0Report
1889-90 7 Dec 18890 - 1dgReport
1890-91 6 Dec 18901gl, 5tr - 2trReport
1891-92 5 Dec 18911dg, 1tr - 1trReport
1892-93 17 Dec 18921gl, 1tr - 3trReport
1893-94 16 Dec 18932gl, 2tr - 0Report
1894-95 1 Dec 18942 gl - 2 trReport
1895-96 7 Dec 18950 - 0Report
1896-97 5 Dec 18961tr - 0Report
1897-98 4 Dec 18971pg, 1tr - 1glReport
1898-99 3 Dec 18981dg, 3tr - 0Report
1899-1900 2 Dec 18991pg - 3trReport
1900-01 1 Dec 19000 - 2gl, 3trReport
1901-02 7 Dec 19010 - 2gl, 2trReport
1902-03 13 Dec 19020 - 0Report
1903-04 5 Dec 19030 - 2gl, 5trReport
1904-05 3 Dec 19041tr - 2trReport
1905-06 2 Dec 19051gl, 2tr - 1trReport
1906-07 1 Dec 19060 - 0Report
1907-08 7 Dec 19070 - 0Report
1908-09 5 Dec 19081gl, 1tr - 1trReport
1909-10 18 Dec 19091gl, 2tr - 2gl, 2trReport
1910-11 3 Dec 19101gl - 4gl, 2trReport
1911-12 2 Dec 19112tr - 3gl, 2trReport
1912-13 7 Dec 19121pg, 1tr - 2gl, 1trReport
1913-14 6 Dec 19131dg - 1dgReport
1914-19 no matches; war years
1919-20 6 Dec 19191pg - 2gl, 3trReport
1920-21 4 Dec 19201pg, 1tr - 1gl, 2trReport
1921-22 3 Dec 19211gl, 1tr - 1pgReport
1922-23 2 Dec 19221gl, 1tr - 1gl, 4trReportOld Anniesland
1923-24 1 Dec 19231plg - 1plgReport
1924-25 6 Dec 19244gl, 3tr - 2trReport
1925-26 Report Reportno match; frost
1926-27 4 Dec 19263tr - 3gl, 1p, 1tr
1927-28 3 Dec 19271p - 1gl, 1tr, 1pReport
1928-29 1 Dec 19281g, 1d, 2p, 1tr - 3g, 1tReport
1929-30 7 Dec 19291gl, 5tr - 1gl, 1trReport
1930-31 6 Dec 19303tr - 2pReport
1931-32 5 Dec 19312tr - 1gl, 1p, 1trReport
1932-33 3 Dec 19321gl, 1tr - 1gl, 4trReport
1933-34 2 Dec 19331gl, 1tr - 1p, 4trReport
1934-35 1 Dec 19341tr - 0Report
1935-36 7 Dec 19354gl, 3tr - 0Report
1936-37 5 Dec 19361gl, 1p, 1tr - 1pReport
1937-38 4 Dec 19374gl, 3p - 1p, 1trReport
1938-39 3 Dec 19382p, 1tr - 1dg, 3p, 1trReport
1939-45 no matches; war years
1945-46 1 Dec 19451tr - 5gl,1p, 2trReport
1946-47 7 Dec 19463tr - 4gl, 3trReport
1947-48 6 Dec 19472dg, 1tr - 1gl, 1trReport
1948-49 4 Dec 19482p, 1tr - 1pReport
1949-50 3 Dec 19490 - 1gl, 1pReport
1950-51 2 Dec 19501gl, 1p, 1tr - 1pReport
1951-52 1 Dec 19512tr - 1trReport
1952-53 13 Dec 19521g, 2p, 1t - 2g, 1tReport

Scottish Inter-District Championship

The Inter-City match was then incorporated into the Scottish Inter-District Championship. For Glasgow's professional championship results from 1996 see Glasgow Warriors; for results of later Glasgow - Edinburgh matches see 1872 Cup.

Scottish Inter-District Championship
Season Pos Pld W D L F A +/- BP Pts Notes
1953–54 1st 33005318+35-6
1954–55 3rd 31112317+6-3
1955–56 2nd 3120309+21-4
1956–57 1st= 32013628+8-4Shared with South
1957–58 1st= 32104223+19-5Shared with South
1958–59 1st= 32012024-4-4Shared with South
1959–60 1st= 32013135-4-4Shared with South & North and Midlands
1960–61 1st 33004314+29-6
1961–62 1st= 3210379+28-5Shared with South
1962–63 1st 3300389+29-6
1963–64 2nd 32013015+15-4
1964–65 4th 31022533-8-2
1965–66 2nd 32013211+21-4
1966–67 4th 30121928-9-1
1967–68 1st= 32014825+23-4Shared with South & Glasgow
1968–69 2nd 31114254-12-3
1969–70 4th 30121228-16-1
1970–71 3rd 31024449-5-2
1971–72 1st= (CH) 32014236+6-4Edinburgh beat Glasgow in play-off
1972–73 1st= 32015441+13-4
1973–74 4th 30031938-19-0
1974–75 3rd 31022732-5-2
1975–76 1st= 32013834+4-4
1976–77 2nd 32018551+34-4
1977–78 1st= 32014934+15-4Shared with Glasgow & South
1978–79 2nd 32018542+43-4
1979–80 1st 330010331+72-6
1980–81 3rd 31027433+41-2
1981–82 1st= 43108028+52-7Shared with South
1982–83 3rd 42028866+22-4
1983–84 2nd 420210759+48-4
1984–85 2nd 43018259+23-6
1985–86 2nd 43016538+27-6
1986–87 1st 44009651+45-8
1987–88 1st 44008855+33-8
1988–89 1st 440011545+70-8
1989–90 3rd 42119365+28-5
1990–91 3rd 41216370-7-4
1991–92 5th 21012144-23-2Abbreviated tournament - no winner
1992–93 2nd 42119369+24-5
1993–94 3rd 21013446-12--
1994–95 2nd 412162620-4
1995–96 2nd 420210982+27-4

Partial list of games played against international opposition

24 November 1962: Edinburgh 22–3 Canada, at Murrayfield
19 November 1975: Edinburgh 10–19 Australia, at Myreside
31 October 1979: Edinburgh 4–16 New Zealand, at Myreside
19 September 1981: Edinburgh 13–18 Romania, at Myreside
15 September 1982: Edinburgh 47–12 Fiji, at Myreside
26 October 1983: Edinburgh 6–22 New Zealand, at Myreside
23 September 1986: Edinburgh 26–14 Japan, at Myreside
23 September 1987: Edinburgh 9–22 France, at Goldenacre
9 November 1988: Edinburgh 19–25 Australia, at Myreside
8 November 1995: Edinburgh 22–35 Western Samoa, at Inverleith
[4]

Notable players

See also

References

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