Madras College FP RFC
Encyclopedia
Madras College Former Pupils Rugby Football Club is a rugby union
side based in St Andrews
in Fife
, Scotland
. They will play in Caledonia Regional League Division 2 midlands
in Season 2011/12. They play at Station Park, St Andrews and field two men's fifteens each weekend, as well as a women's team (AKA The Saints).
The club has close ties with Madras College
, the secondary school of St Andrews. Although not all players are former pupils of the school, many are and sixth year pupils often train and play with the club during holidays and weeks in which school rugby is not on.
The good facilities of the rugby club and St Andrews in general attract many bigger teams such as the Scottish national side
and Heriot's Rugby Club to train there during pre-season.
has been instrumental in the development of rugby in Scotland. Rugby was introduced to St Andrews University in 1858 as a means of interesting the Scottish gentry away from the great English universities and to study in Scotland. Scotland's oldest club is Edinburgh Academicals, established in 1857, which shows that rugby in St Andrews was not far behind. In 1871, JH Oatts, from St Andrews, amongst colleagues, issued an invite to the English to come to Edinburgh and play the first international fixture of the 'carrying game' on 27 March . This invite came after a 10 year run of defeats at football at the hands of the English. 2 players from St Andrews featured in this 20-a-side game, which the Scots won.
Representatives from the four great clubs, Glasgow Academicals
, Edinburgh Academical Football Club, West of Scotland and University of St Andrews RFC, then formed the Scottish Rugby Union
in 1873, and the game was reduced to 15-a-side soon after. St Andrews built up a strong reputation for its backs-play, which was very different from the typical forwards-led style of the day.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
side based in St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, 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 will play in Caledonia Regional League Division 2 midlands
Caledonia Regional Leagues (Rugby Union)
The Caledonia Regional League structure is one of three Regional Leagues operated by the Scottish Rugby Union , which play at a level below that of the National League structure. Winners of the league may progress to the National League...
in Season 2011/12. They play at Station Park, St Andrews and field two men's fifteens each weekend, as well as a women's team (AKA The Saints).
The club has close ties with Madras College
Madras College
Madras College is a secondary school in St. Andrews, Fife in Scotland.-History:Madras College, founded in 1832, takes its name from the system of education devised by the school's founder, the Rev Dr Andrew Bell....
, the secondary school of St Andrews. Although not all players are former pupils of the school, many are and sixth year pupils often train and play with the club during holidays and weeks in which school rugby is not on.
The good facilities of the rugby club and St Andrews in general attract many bigger teams such as the Scottish national side
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and Heriot's Rugby Club to train there during pre-season.
History
St AndrewsSt Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
has been instrumental in the development of rugby in Scotland. Rugby was introduced to St Andrews University in 1858 as a means of interesting the Scottish gentry away from the great English universities and to study in Scotland. Scotland's oldest club is Edinburgh Academicals, established in 1857, which shows that rugby in St Andrews was not far behind. In 1871, JH Oatts, from St Andrews, amongst colleagues, issued an invite to the English to come to Edinburgh and play the first international fixture of the 'carrying game' on 27 March . This invite came after a 10 year run of defeats at football at the hands of the English. 2 players from St Andrews featured in this 20-a-side game, which the Scots won.
Representatives from the four great clubs, Glasgow Academicals
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:...
, Edinburgh Academical Football Club, West of Scotland and University of St Andrews RFC, then formed 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:...
in 1873, and the game was reduced to 15-a-side soon after. St Andrews built up a strong reputation for its backs-play, which was very different from the typical forwards-led style of the day.