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.

Scotland's best results so far

Best Rugby Union World Cup placing so far: fourth in the second Rugby World Cup, RWC1991. On October 26, 1991 Scotland lost 6-9 to England in a semi-final at Murrayfield after the normally reliable Gavin Hastings missed an easy penalty almost in front of and a short distance from the posts. On October 30th Scotland lost the Third-place play-off to New Zealand in Cardiff, 13-6.

Related Topics:
Rugby Union World Cup - RWC1991 - Murrayfield

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Rugby Union Five Nations Championship Grand Slams (including Triple Crown): 1925, 1984, 1990.

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Triple Crown: seven times winners

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Scotland was also the last Five Nations Champion in 1998-99. (The following year Italy joined the competition to make it the Six Nations.)

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Scotland achieved 100 points for the first time in defeating a young and inexperienced Japan side 100-8 on November 13, 2004. The previous record had been 89-0 against Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in the first round of Rugby World Cup 1995. The game versus Japan was played at the home of St. Johnstone Football Club, McDiarmid Park, Perth. It was the first time that Scotland had ever played "North of the Forth" (i.e. the River Forth) in the Caledonian region. In the same game Chris Paterson moved ahead of Andy Irvine in the list of Scotland's all-time points scorers, though he still has some way to go to catch Gavin Hastings.

Related Topics:
Japan - Rugby World Cup 1995 - St. Johnstone Football Club - McDiarmid Park - Perth - River Forth

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Their Test match record against leading nations (listed in order of total matches; updated to 16 August 2005) is as follows:

Related Topics:
16 August - 2005

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Against

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Played

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Won

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Lost

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Drawn

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England122406517

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Ireland11861515

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Wales11047603

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France7833423

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New Zealand240222

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Australia216150

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South Africa154110

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Italy10730

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Romania9720

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Argentina5140

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Samoa4410

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Fiji4310

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Tonga2200

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Canada2110

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One match was abandoned against Ireland.

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• Scotland's international results, 1871-2004 from the SRU Library