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.

External links

• Scottish Rugby Union - the official site of Scottish Rugby
• SRU Annual Report 2003-04
• Scottish Rugby Strategic Review (Interim Update) 30 May 2004
• Guide to Scottish Rugby (The Scotsman)
• A song for Scotland - an article on the ongoing discussions about which song should represent Scotland before international rugby and soccer (football) games. (Sunday Times, November 21, 2004)
• Allan Massie on the Scottish rugby team from about 1940 to 1990
• The age of Telfer by Allan Massie
• Scottish rugby union news from Planet Rugby