Edinburgh Academicals RFC
Encyclopedia
The Edinburgh Academical Football Club, also known as Edinburgh Accies or Edinburgh Acads, is a rugby union football club in Edinburgh
, Scotland
. The club was formed in 1857 and is the oldest rugby club in Scotland, the second oldest club in continuous existence in the world behind Dublin University Football Club
(founded 1854). They are one of the founding members of the Scottish Rugby Union
. The Club's name omits the word "Rugby" as it predates the division between the Association and Rugby codes of football, which took place in the 1860's. At present it plays in Scottish Premiership Division One and plays its home games at Raeburn Place
, Edinburgh
, Scotland
. They are coached by Scottish internationalists Ian Barnes and Tom Philip
, assisted by Malcolm McVie.
The club regularly fields 5 teams with the addition of the BATS initiative which they run along with Edinburgh BATs Rugby (a Community Amateur Sports Club), Broughton RFC and Trinity Accies RFC.
The Academicals are also responsible for the oldest organised rugby match, between The Edinburgh Academy (the school from which the club was formed) and Merchiston Castle School which was first played in 1859. In the 1873-4 season, they played ten matches, and won all of them.
In season 2007/8, the Club's 1st XV finished second in the Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership Division 2, thereby securing promotion to the Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership Division 1. That same season they experienced a successful Scottish Cup run, reaching the final with victories over Premiership 1 teams Currie
, Hawick
and Boroughmuir
. The team lost the final 24-13 to the Glasgow Hawks
.
In season 2009/10 the Club's 1st XV was relegated to Scottish Premier Division 2 after they lost to Heriot's FP in the last game of the season and on the same day Watsonian's beat Melrose at The Greenyards. The Club's 2nd XV finished 3rd in the Scottish Reserve League National 1, the 'Blues' (3rd XV) finished 2nd in the Scottish Reserve League East 1, the 'Whites' (4th XV) finished 2nd in the Scottish Reserve League East 2 and the U20's finished the season unbeaten and were crowned champions of the Student & U20's Development League (Edinburgh).
In season 20010/11 the club were Premier 2 League champions and will return to the top level of Scottish club rugby, the Premier 1 League, for the 2011/12 season.
and David Sole
.
Recent Scottish internationalists include current Scotland captain Mike Blair
, David Callam, Tom Philip
, Stuart Moffat
, Barry Stewart
, Donnie Macfadyen
, Scott Murray, Rob Wainwright
, David McIvor, Jeremy Richardson, John Allan
, Alec Moore, Chris Gray
and Grand Slam winning captain David Sole
(also their most capped player).
A number of Edinburgh Academicals have represented Scotland at both rugby and cricket, these include: Henry Stevenson
, T. R. Marshall, L.M. Balfour, E.M. Bannerman, W.E. Maclagan and K.W. Marshall
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The club was formed in 1857 and is the oldest rugby club in Scotland, the second oldest club in continuous existence in the world behind Dublin University Football Club
Dublin University Football Club
Dublin University Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Dublin, Trinity College, in Dublin, Ireland.-History:...
(founded 1854). They are one of the founding members of the Scottish Rugby Union
Scottish Rugby Union
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...
. The Club's name omits the word "Rugby" as it predates the division between the Association and Rugby codes of football, which took place in the 1860's. At present it plays in Scottish Premiership Division One and plays its home games at Raeburn Place
Raeburn Place
Raeburn Place is the main street of Stockbridge, Edinburgh, and the name of the playing fields there.-Rugby:The first international rugby football game was played on the playing fields at Raeburn Place on 27 March 1871 between England and Scotland. It was won by Scotland, though England got revenge...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. They are coached by Scottish internationalists Ian Barnes and Tom Philip
Tom Philip
Tom Philip is a Scottish rugby league player for the South Wales Scorpions in the Championship One. A former Scottish rugby union international, he has previously played for the Edinburgh Gunners, and with rugby league sides Whitehaven RLFC and hometown club Edinburgh Eagles. His position is at...
, assisted by Malcolm McVie.
The club regularly fields 5 teams with the addition of the BATS initiative which they run along with Edinburgh BATs Rugby (a Community Amateur Sports Club), Broughton RFC and Trinity Accies RFC.
History
The Accies' home ground, Raeburn Place is also significant as the location of the first ever rugby international. Seven players of the original Scotland side were Academicals, including the captain, FJ Moncrieff.The Academicals are also responsible for the oldest organised rugby match, between The Edinburgh Academy (the school from which the club was formed) and Merchiston Castle School which was first played in 1859. In the 1873-4 season, they played ten matches, and won all of them.
In season 2007/8, the Club's 1st XV finished second in the Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership Division 2, thereby securing promotion to the Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership Division 1. That same season they experienced a successful Scottish Cup run, reaching the final with victories over Premiership 1 teams Currie
Currie RFC
Currie Rugby Football Club are an Edinburgh-based rugby union club in the Scottish Rugby Union, they currently play in Premiership Division One....
, Hawick
Hawick RFC
Hawick Rugby Football Club is a semi-professional rugby union side, currently playing in the Premiership Division One and Border League. The team are based at Mansfield Park at Hawick in the Scottish Borders....
and Boroughmuir
Boroughmuir RFC
Boroughmuir RFC is a rugby union football club in the Scottish Rugby Union. Founded in 1919 and admitted to the SRU in 1939, it was originally restricted to former pupils of Boroughmuir High School. The badge is derived from Boroughmuir High School and they acquired it in 1913. Although it has lost...
. The team lost the final 24-13 to the Glasgow Hawks
Glasgow Hawks
Glasgow Hawks are an amateur rugby union team in Glasgow, Scotland. They were Premiership Division One champions for 3 consecutive seasons from 2003/04 to 2005/06.-The short history of Glasgow Hawks RFC:...
.
In season 2009/10 the Club's 1st XV was relegated to Scottish Premier Division 2 after they lost to Heriot's FP in the last game of the season and on the same day Watsonian's beat Melrose at The Greenyards. The Club's 2nd XV finished 3rd in the Scottish Reserve League National 1, the 'Blues' (3rd XV) finished 2nd in the Scottish Reserve League East 1, the 'Whites' (4th XV) finished 2nd in the Scottish Reserve League East 2 and the U20's finished the season unbeaten and were crowned champions of the Student & U20's Development League (Edinburgh).
In season 20010/11 the club were Premier 2 League champions and will return to the top level of Scottish club rugby, the Premier 1 League, for the 2011/12 season.
Notable players
The Academicals has supplied Scotland with over 100 internationalists including Rob WainwrightRob Wainwright
Robert Iain Wainwright is a former rugby union footballer who was capped 37 times for Scotland and once for the British Lions. He played flanker. He was educated at Glenalmond College and Magdalene College, Cambridge where he represented Cambridge University R.U.F.C..He received his first cap in...
and David Sole
David Sole
David Sole is a former Scottish rugby union footballer. He was educated at Blairmore prep school and Glenalmond College, a private school in Perthshire....
.
Recent Scottish internationalists include current Scotland captain Mike Blair
Mike Blair
Michael Robert Leighton Blair is a Scottish rugby union footballer.He plays professional rugby union as scrum-half for Edinburgh Rugby and represents Scotland.He attended the Edinburgh Academy....
, David Callam, Tom Philip
Tom Philip
Tom Philip is a Scottish rugby league player for the South Wales Scorpions in the Championship One. A former Scottish rugby union international, he has previously played for the Edinburgh Gunners, and with rugby league sides Whitehaven RLFC and hometown club Edinburgh Eagles. His position is at...
, Stuart Moffat
Stuart Moffat
John Stuart David Moffat is a former Scottish rugby union international. He also played a first-class cricket match for Cambridge University....
, Barry Stewart
Barry Stewart
Barry Stewart Northampton Saints rugby union player, position prop. He also played for the Scotland rugby union team and won five caps.-References:...
, Donnie Macfadyen
Donnie Macfadyen
Donald John Hunter Macfadyen made his Scotland debut as a substitute in the Rugby Union tour international against Canada in Vancouver, and his first Test selection followed against United States a week later in San Francisco....
, Scott Murray, Rob Wainwright
Rob Wainwright
Robert Iain Wainwright is a former rugby union footballer who was capped 37 times for Scotland and once for the British Lions. He played flanker. He was educated at Glenalmond College and Magdalene College, Cambridge where he represented Cambridge University R.U.F.C..He received his first cap in...
, David McIvor, Jeremy Richardson, John Allan
John Allan
John Allan was a Canadian politician. Allan was the Member of Provincial Parliament for the seat of Hamilton West from 1914 to 1919....
, Alec Moore, Chris Gray
Chris Gray (rugby player)
Dr Christopher Antony Gray is a former Scottish international rugby player who played most of his club rugby in England.-Club career:...
and Grand Slam winning captain David Sole
David Sole
David Sole is a former Scottish rugby union footballer. He was educated at Blairmore prep school and Glenalmond College, a private school in Perthshire....
(also their most capped player).
A number of Edinburgh Academicals have represented Scotland at both rugby and cricket, these include: Henry Stevenson
Henry Stevenson
Henry James Stevenson was a Scottish rugby union international and first-class cricketer.A fullback, Stevenson was capped 15 times for Scotland and took part in six Home Nations campaigns. This included being part of Scotland's 1891 Home Nations Triple Crown winning side as well as the team which...
, T. R. Marshall, L.M. Balfour, E.M. Bannerman, W.E. Maclagan and K.W. Marshall
External links
- Edinburgh Academicals Football Club Official Site
- http://www.birlinn.co.uk/book/details/Accies--The-9781841587714/ 'The Accies - The Cradle of Scottish Rugby' - Club history written by David Barnes