Melrose RFC
Encyclopedia
Melrose Rugby Football Club, located in the town of Melrose in the Scottish
Borders
, is one of the oldest rugby
clubs in the world.
in 1880. The club have played at the Greenyards since the club's inception.
Melrose have won the Scottish 1st Division title 6 times (1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1997).
Melrose won the Scottish cup in 2008 and were runners up in 2009 and 2010 and are currently in the 2011 final.
Despite the population of Melrose hovering around 3,500 for a number of years the team has been a consistently successful club in the upper echelons of the Scottish game.
tournament in 1883, the abbreviated game having been invented by Ned Haig
, a local butcher. The first Melrose Sevens
was won by Melrose, beating local rivals Gala
in the final during extra time. The Melrose Sevens, played on the second Saturday in April every year, remains the most popular Scottish Sevens tournament, regularly attracting crowds in excess of 10,000. In honour of the role of Melrose RFC in the creation of rugby sevens, the club was inducted along with Haig to the IRB Hall of Fame
in 2008.
Melrose have had a bit of recent success in their home tournament coming runner-up on a couple of occasions in the past five years, they won peebles 7s 2009. In 2010 they were crowned Kings of the Sevens winning the Kelso, Earlston, Gala and Jedforest sevens and placing respectably in the others.
internationals including
Jim Telfer
is another famous player who went on to become one of the most successful coaches of the Scotland national rugby union team
, as well as receiving 25 international caps himself. He was also appointed Director of Rugby of the Scottish Rugby Union
.
Borders under 16s: Sam Chalmers
Blair Hutchison
Campbell Donaldson
David Colvine
Martin Dodds
Cameron Pate
Mickael Rogerson
Jack Chambers
Borders under 18s: Callum Wilde
Gavin Robertson
Ian Robertson
Mark Stewart
Scotland Under 18s: Gavin Robertson
Scotland Under 19s: Craig Jackson
Richard Ferguson
Scotland under 20s: Lindsey Gibson
Scotland club International:
Scott Wight
Fraser Thompson
James King
Calum Anderson
John Dalziel
Scotland 7s: Craig Jackson
Melrose rugby club also have an under 16s, 15s, S2s, S1s, and then all primary ages groups however only start playing matches at primary 4.
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...
Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, is one of the oldest rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
clubs in the world.
History
The club was formed in 1877 and was elected to full membership of the Scottish Rugby UnionScottish 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 1880. The club have played at the Greenyards since the club's inception.
Melrose have won the Scottish 1st Division title 6 times (1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1997).
Melrose won the Scottish cup in 2008 and were runners up in 2009 and 2010 and are currently in the 2011 final.
Despite the population of Melrose hovering around 3,500 for a number of years the team has been a consistently successful club in the upper echelons of the Scottish game.
Sevens tournament
Melrose is most famous as the host of the first-ever rugby sevensRugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
tournament in 1883, the abbreviated game having been invented by Ned Haig
Ned Haig
Ned Haig was a butcher and rugby union player notable for founding the sport of rugby sevens. He moved to Melrose when he was young. There he took up rugby and joined Melrose Rugby Football Club in 1880...
, a local butcher. The first Melrose Sevens
Melrose Sevens
Melrose Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Melrose Rugby Club, in Melrose, Scotland. It is the oldest rugby sevens competition dating from 1883, when the tournament was suggested by former Melrose player Ned Haig....
was won by Melrose, beating local rivals Gala
Gala RFC
Gala Rugby Football Club are a rugby union team based in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, founded in 1875, they play their home games at Netherdale....
in the final during extra time. The Melrose Sevens, played on the second Saturday in April every year, remains the most popular Scottish Sevens tournament, regularly attracting crowds in excess of 10,000. In honour of the role of Melrose RFC in the creation of rugby sevens, the club was inducted along with Haig to the IRB Hall of Fame
IRB Hall of Fame
The IRB Hall of Fame is a hall of fame operated by the International Rugby Board that recognises special achievement and contribution to the sport of rugby union. The IRB Hall of Fame covers players, coaches, administrators, match officials, institutions and other individuals...
in 2008.
Melrose have had a bit of recent success in their home tournament coming runner-up on a couple of occasions in the past five years, they won peebles 7s 2009. In 2010 they were crowned Kings of the Sevens winning the Kelso, Earlston, Gala and Jedforest sevens and placing respectably in the others.
Notable players
Melrose has provided 22 ScotlandScotland 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...
internationals including
- Craig ChalmersCraig ChalmersCraig Minto Chalmers is a former Scottish rugby union footballer for Melrose.-International career:The fly-half represented Scotland and the British Lions at international level...
(60 capsCap (sport)In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
) - Keith RobertsonKeith Robertson (rugby union)Keith William Robertson is a former Scottish rugby union player. He played for Scotland forty four times between 1978 and 1989...
(44 caps). - Alex HastieAlex HastieAlexander James Hastie, also known as Alex Hastie or Eck Hastie was a Scottish rugby union player. who played at scrum-half and was commonly linked with David Chisholm:...
- Charlie Laidlaw
- Frank LaidlawFrank LaidlawFrancis Andrew Linden Laidlaw is a former international rugby union playerHe was capped thirty-two times for Scotland as a hooker between 1964 and 1971 and captained his country twice....
- Doddie WeirDoddie WeirGeorge "Doddie" Weir, born 4 July 1970 in Edinburgh, is a Rugby Union player, in the lock position.George Weir started playing rugby for Stewarts Melville RFC, his former school, in Edinburgh. He studied at the Scottish Agricultural College, gaining an HND, from 1988-1991 . He moved to Melrose RFC...
- Craig JoinerCraig JoinerCraig Joiner was born April 21, 1974 in Glasgow, Scotland. Educated at Merchiston Castle School, he won 25 caps playing on the wing for the Scottish rugby union side between 1994 and 2000....
- Jock AllanJock AllanJames “Jock” Allan is a deceased Scottish football full back who began his career in the Scottish League before moving to The Football League. After he was banned for life by the Football Association for match fixing, he moved to the United States where he spent five seasons in the American Soccer...
- Doug DaviesDoug Davies (rugby union)Douglas "Doug" S. Davies was a Scottish international rugby union player, who played for and the Lions at number 8.He was capped 24 times for Scotland....
- George DobsonGeorge DobsonGeorge Alexander Dobson was a Welsh rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales...
- Frank LaidlawFrank LaidlawFrancis Andrew Linden Laidlaw is a former international rugby union playerHe was capped thirty-two times for Scotland as a hooker between 1964 and 1971 and captained his country twice....
(32 caps) - Kelly BrownKelly BrownKelly Brown may refer to:*Kelly Brown , American actress*Kelly Brown , Scottish rugby footballer*Kelly Brown , drag racer*Kelly Brown , cricketer...
Jim Telfer
Jim Telfer
James "Jim" Telfer is a Scottish rugby union coach and a former rugby player. A former headmaster at Hawick High School and chemistry teacher, he has won fame as a Scottish forwards coach who gave punishing training sessions to his players...
is another famous player who went on to become one of the most successful coaches of the Scotland national rugby union team
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...
, as well as receiving 25 international caps himself. He was also appointed Director of Rugby 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:...
.
Representative players
To date: 2010Borders under 16s: Sam Chalmers
Blair Hutchison
Campbell Donaldson
David Colvine
Martin Dodds
Cameron Pate
Mickael Rogerson
Jack Chambers
Borders under 18s: Callum Wilde
Gavin Robertson
Ian Robertson
Mark Stewart
Scotland Under 18s: Gavin Robertson
Scotland Under 19s: Craig Jackson
Richard Ferguson
Scotland under 20s: Lindsey Gibson
Scotland club International:
Scott Wight
Fraser Thompson
James King
Calum Anderson
John Dalziel
Scotland 7s: Craig Jackson
Youth rugby
There is an under 18s team called Melrose Wasps, coached by the famous Jim Telfer and David Sheil. Over the last couple of years this team as become more competitive in the local borders league they play in coming 2nd in 2009 behind Hawick Wands in 2009, with good players such as Grant Runciman, Richard Ferguson, Bruce Colvine and a lot more. That year they were very successful in the 7s circuit winning the kings of the 7s.Melrose rugby club also have an under 16s, 15s, S2s, S1s, and then all primary ages groups however only start playing matches at primary 4.
See also
- Melrose, ScotlandMelrose, ScotlandMelrose is a small town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders, historically in Roxburghshire. It is in the Eildon committee area.-Etymology:...
- Scottish Premiership Division One
- Border LeagueBorder LeagueFor the defunct baseball league, see Border League The Border League, is the oldest established rugby union league in the World, having been formed in 1901...
- Borders Sevens CircuitBorders Sevens CircuitThe Borders Sevens Circuit is the name given to rugby union sevens tournaments that are held annually in the Scottish Borders. It is the oldest Sevens Circuit in the world, with most sevens dating from the 19th century.-Kings of the Sevens:...