Scotland national rugby union team

Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union, a founder member of the International Rugby Board in 1886 with fellow Celtic nations Ireland and Wales. The thistle is the national flower, and also the symbol of the Scotland national rugby union team. According to legend the "guardian thistle" has played its part in the defence of Scotland against a night attack by the Danes, one of whom let out a yell of pain when he stepped barefoot on a thistle, alerting the Scottish defenders. The Latin Nemo me impune lacessit ("No-one provokes me with impunity!" in English) is an ancient Scottish motto, "me" in this case being the prickly thistle itself.

History

1871-1924

The first ever international rugby union game was played at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh on March 27, 1871 between England and Scotland. It was won by Scotland, though England got revenge at the Kennington Oval, London in the following year. (See the library of the Scottish Rugby Union for details.)

Related Topics:
Raeburn Place - March 27 - 1871 - England - Scotland - Kennington Oval - Scottish Rugby Union

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The Scots enjoyed periodic success in the early days vying with Wales in the first decade of the 20th century. However, their Triple Crown win in 1907 would be the last for eighteen years as the First World War (1914-18) and England intervened to deny them glory.

Related Topics:
Wales - Triple Crown

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1925-1944

Scotland won their first ever Five Nations Grand Slam in 1925 - the first year playing in their new Murrayfield home which is the headquarters of Scottish rugby to this day.

Related Topics:
Grand Slam - Murrayfield

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1945-1973

The period after World War Two was not a successful one for Scotland, although they shared the Five Nations title in 1964 with Wales.

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Scotland were the first of the British Isles Unions to run a truly nationwide club league. This was introduced in 1973 and still flourishes today with several of the country's original clubs still very much in evidence, such as Heriots, West of Scotland, Watsonians and the famous 'border' clubs such as Gala, Hawick, Jed-Forest, Kelso and Melrose. However the advent of professionalism saw Scotland's District championship abandoned and two (later three) 'Super Districts' formed, which have resulted in the top players generally being unavailable for their clubs.

Related Topics:
West of Scotland - Gala - Hawick - Jed-Forest - Kelso - Melrose

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1974-2000

Grand Slam winners on three occasions so far, the Scots have also won the Triple Crown a further seven times. They won their second Grand Slam in 1984, captained by Jim Aitken.

Related Topics:
Grand Slam - Jim Aitken

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However, their greatest year in the modern era was 1990 when, captained by prop David Sole, their season came down to one game, a Grand Slam decider at Murrayfield against the old enemy, and hot favourites, England. Sole famously walked his men onto the field with quiet but steely determination, to the delight of the partisan home crowd. Scotland won 13-7, and with it their third Grand Slam.

Related Topics:
David Sole - Grand Slam

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Scotland also won the last-ever Five Nations Championship in 1999 with some dashing displays of 15-man rugby but endured a torrid Six Nations in 2000, losing their first four straight games. Nevertheless at the last hurdle, they pulled off a magnificent 19-13 win under captain Andy Nicol over an unbeaten England at a rain-soaked Murrayfield to prove that there is still plenty of pride and passion in Scottish rugby.

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