24:
118:
Throughout the mid-to-late-1870s, another almost parallel world of club rugby grew up in the
Scottish Borders. This brand of rugby, imported from Yorkshire through the burgeoning woollen industry, was a world away from the refined old boy circuit of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Borders remains the only
150:
Although the bulk of
Borders rugby can be found in and around mid and lower Tweedsdale, the Border rugby region also takes in the likes of Langholm in Dumfriesshire in the south west, and Peebles, Innerleithen and Biggar (traditionally part of South Lanarkshire) in the west. The town of Berwick upon
126:
Although the population of the
Borders is only 100,000, its unique cauldron of local rivalries has produced some of the best players to come out of Scottish, or even European rugby. Many of the greatest Scottish sides, including those who won the Grand Slam of 1990, contained a substantial number of
182:
So seriously do
Borderers take the game, that when in 1983, the victorious French donated their Melrose Sevens winners' medals to the local lasses as a token of affection, that there was an uproar in the town. Borderers see a Melrose Sevens winners' medal as the next best thing to a Scottish cap.
178:
suggested a shortened version of the game, as a means of raising money at a local fair. The idea was a resounding success, with
Melrose beating Gala in extra time to win the competition, and soon most towns in the Borders staged their own annual sevens tournaments in April and May.
281:
The side was disbanded in 2007. The
Reivers did pick up something of a following and their demise was a minor scandal. Part of the problem was that while the Borders have produced much of Scotland's best rugby, they did not necessarily have the population to support such a team.
206:(The South) is a select team made up of the best players from the Border region. They would take on overseas touring sides, drawing with South Africa on two occasions and famously beating an excellent 1984 Australia touring team. They also competed in the
98:
The region has been responsible for several major innovations, and a presence in the national game which is disproportionately large, because it is the one part of
Scotland where rugby is the main sport and played by all classes.
277:
in 2001 gave the SRU more confidence. It resurrected the Border
Reivers side in 2002 and they competed in the Celtic League, Heineken Cup and Challenge Cup. However the team largely struggled in the league.
262:
Their appearance was initially regarded with some suspicion and derision, yet it was due to the SRU's high debt that the axe fell on the
Reivers just two years later. The Caledonia Reds met the same fate.
171:
The
Borders is also the birthplace of the abbreviated code of the sevens, which is somewhat ironic since Borders rugby has traditionally been built around forward muscle, rather than fluent back play.
119:
part of Scotland – outside the predominantly middle-class atmosphere of the Edinburgh elite – where rugby really managed to take root in Scotland. In small towns where there was little or no
107:
For centuries Borderers had been playing various forms of folk football, that were extremely similar to rugby. Some of these are still played very occasionally, such as the game in
159:
As well as being geographically and culturally divorced from their city counterparts, the Borders clubs soon developed a competition of their own, the
1142:
1578:
1329:
127:
Borderers. It says much for the quality of play in the area that the towns from which the three most enduring club sides in Scotland hail from –
1261:
709:
241:
The Border Reivers were one of four professional sides set up by the SRU in 1996, from the traditional amateur District sides. The others were
53:
1573:
1256:
1674:
1235:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1210:
123:, clubs such as Gala, Hawick, Selkirk, Jed Forest, and Melrose, soon became the sporting focus for the hardy farming communities nearby.
1429:
1398:
294:
as well as two clubs, Berwick and Langholm, and are actually situated in Northumberland and Dumfries & Galloway respectively.
1387:
824:
1394:
1308:
603:
1446:
1383:
1379:
1135:
815:
796:
1419:
1200:
1195:
207:
1406:
1402:
1240:
1563:
1371:
1190:
838:
702:
338:
226:
203:
147:
The area of Borders rugby is largely contiguous with Scottish Borders region, but also taking in Langholm and Biggar.
1653:
681:
666:
75:
151:
Tweed also has a strong association with the region, and its rugby club frequently plays against sides in the area.
46:
1485:
1128:
645:
270:. In effect, though, the Borders side was effectively disbanded. Edinburgh quietly dropped the Reivers name later.
211:
1490:
1288:
568:
1454:
215:
1480:
695:
628:
1538:
1365:
1344:
1339:
910:
761:
326:
303:
1568:
342:
1424:
513:
453:
163:, which is still contested, and which remains the oldest organised league competition in world rugby.
1334:
478:
438:
346:
314:
36:
352:
The Scottish Borders consists of 17 clubs, the highest density of clubs per population in Scotland.
1475:
1470:
1313:
1293:
1094:
40:
32:
1151:
640:
1648:
1593:
1298:
1079:
995:
543:
257:
230:
225:
In 1995, with the advent of professionalism in Rugby union, the SRU decided to professionalise
191:
57:
933:
868:
742:
1623:
1608:
1450:
1167:
1055:
732:
120:
8:
1643:
1583:
1089:
219:
687:
1050:
1035:
873:
677:
662:
1618:
1522:
1205:
623:
291:
242:
92:
1628:
1588:
1517:
1303:
1030:
1005:
883:
468:
463:
246:
1598:
1543:
1045:
1025:
1020:
1000:
888:
775:
458:
250:
1668:
1414:
1010:
990:
950:
863:
548:
160:
1638:
1633:
1613:
1109:
1099:
1040:
878:
852:
598:
578:
528:
508:
488:
448:
1120:
1603:
1104:
1015:
828:
819:
810:
780:
751:
613:
563:
553:
523:
518:
503:
498:
493:
473:
318:
266:
The Border Reivers were merged into Edinburgh Rugby in 1998, to form the
187:
136:
88:
1084:
1074:
770:
608:
533:
443:
433:
128:
349:
structure. Winners of the league may progress to the National League.
345:
and the Scottish Borders area. They play at a level below that of the
805:
583:
573:
1349:
847:
800:
593:
322:
175:
132:
112:
108:
306:
is the premier club competition over the Scottish Borders region.
174:
The code was invented in 1883, when Melrose butcher and fly-half
111:. Undoubtedly their popularity paved the way for that of rugby.
274:
139:– have populations of 14,800, 12,300 and 1670 respectively.
424:
717:
1666:
45:but its sources remain unclear because it lacks
1136:
703:
1150:
354:
1143:
1129:
710:
696:
76:Learn how and when to remove this message
115:, for example played Fastern's Eve Ba'.
1667:
425:Notable rugby players from the Borders
1124:
691:
317:is an amateur league competition for
290:The district includes clubs from the
95:has a long, and significant history.
208:Scottish Inter-District Championship
197:
17:
1675:Rugby union in the Scottish Borders
719:Rugby union in the Scottish Borders
309:
13:
1579:Scotland 'B' international players
204:South of Scotland rugby union team
14:
1686:
1654:Scottish District rugby structure
297:
236:
1486:Scottish Unofficial Championship
646:Rugby union in the British Isles
154:
142:
22:
332:
325:. It forms the 2nd tier of the
166:
1574:Scotland international players
1:
1068:Stadiums and related articles
651:
1491:Scottish Women's Rugby Union
1366:Scottish League Championship
1345:European Rugby Challenge Cup
1340:European Rugby Champions Cup
676:(1991, Stanley Paul, London
327:Scottish League Championship
7:
1481:Championship League A and B
1455:Scottish Rugby Schools' Cup
1430:Scottish Womens Premiership
1420:Inter-District Championship
634:
194:, and is named after this.
10:
1691:
659:The Complete Book of Rugby
356:
255:
102:
1556:
1531:
1510:
1503:
1463:
1445:Age-grade Championships:
1438:
1358:
1335:United Rugby Championship
1322:
1281:
1274:
1249:
1183:
1176:
1160:
1067:
983:
897:
837:
789:
760:
741:
725:
190:is the main prize of the
1476:Highland Alliance League
1471:Grampian Alliance League
1314:Sevens Grand Prix Series
1060:Hawick and Wilton Sevens
343:Edinburgh & District
285:
31:This article includes a
1153:Rugby union in Scotland
641:Rugby union in Scotland
273:The establishment of a
60:more precise citations.
1649:Scottish Rugby Academy
1594:Borders Sevens Circuit
1299:Rugby World Cup Sevens
996:Borders Sevens Circuit
661:(Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997
258:Border Reivers (rugby)
192:Rugby World Cup Sevens
934:Hawick and Wilton RFC
869:Hawick Harlequins RFC
790:National League teams
229:District team as the
1624:Auld Alliance Trophy
1609:London Scottish F.C.
1451:Borders Competitions
1168:Scottish Rugby Union
1056:Hawick Linden Sevens
944:Hawick St. Cuthberts
839:East Regional League
733:Scottish Rugby Union
657:Bath, Richard (ed.)
121:association football
1644:Douglas Horn Trophy
1584:Murrayfield Stadium
1304:Sevens World Series
947:Hawick Teviot Union
938:Hawick Athenic Star
315:BT National Leagues
1309:Commonwealth Games
860:Gala Wanderers RFC
811:Melrose RFC 2nd XV
220:North and Midlands
212:Edinburgh District
33:list of references
1662:
1661:
1552:
1551:
1499:
1498:
1378:National League:
1323:Professional Club
1270:
1269:
1118:
1117:
1051:Walkerburn Sevens
1036:Jed-Forest Sevens
918:Buccleuch Thistle
874:Hawick Linden RFC
422:
421:
404:Hawick Harlequins
268:Edinburgh Reivers
198:South of Scotland
86:
85:
78:
1682:
1619:Centenary Quaich
1523:Glasgow Warriors
1508:
1507:
1395:Regional Leagues
1279:
1278:
1206:Scotland Club XV
1181:
1180:
1154:
1145:
1138:
1131:
1122:
1121:
752:Southern Knights
712:
705:
698:
689:
688:
674:Talking of Rugby
624:Douglas Christie
569:George Fairbairn
355:
347:National Leagues
310:National leagues
292:Scottish Borders
243:Glasgow Warriors
216:Glasgow District
93:Scottish Borders
81:
74:
70:
67:
61:
56:this article by
47:inline citations
26:
25:
18:
1690:
1689:
1685:
1684:
1683:
1681:
1680:
1679:
1665:
1664:
1663:
1658:
1629:Doddie Weir Cup
1589:Scotland Sevens
1548:
1527:
1495:
1459:
1434:
1354:
1318:
1266:
1245:
1172:
1156:
1152:
1149:
1119:
1114:
1063:
1031:Earlston Sevens
1006:Langholm Sevens
979:
964:Lilliesleaf RFC
958:Hawick Waverley
924:Gala Abbotsford
893:
884:St Boswells RFC
833:
785:
756:
737:
721:
716:
654:
637:
629:John Rutherford
604:Keith Robertson
539:Jed Forest RFC
469:Gregor Townsend
464:Duncan Paterson
427:
335:
312:
300:
288:
260:
247:Edinburgh Rugby
239:
200:
169:
157:
145:
105:
82:
71:
65:
62:
51:
37:related reading
27:
23:
12:
11:
5:
1688:
1678:
1677:
1660:
1659:
1657:
1656:
1651:
1646:
1641:
1636:
1631:
1626:
1621:
1616:
1611:
1606:
1601:
1599:Melrose Sevens
1596:
1591:
1586:
1581:
1576:
1571:
1566:
1560:
1558:
1554:
1553:
1550:
1549:
1547:
1546:
1544:Caledonia Reds
1541:
1539:Border Reivers
1535:
1533:
1529:
1528:
1526:
1525:
1520:
1514:
1512:
1505:
1501:
1500:
1497:
1496:
1494:
1493:
1488:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1467:
1465:
1461:
1460:
1458:
1457:
1442:
1440:
1436:
1435:
1433:
1432:
1427:
1422:
1417:
1412:
1411:
1410:
1391:
1375:
1362:
1360:
1356:
1355:
1353:
1352:
1347:
1342:
1337:
1332:
1326:
1324:
1320:
1319:
1317:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1296:
1291:
1285:
1283:
1276:
1272:
1271:
1268:
1267:
1265:
1264:
1259:
1253:
1251:
1247:
1246:
1244:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1187:
1185:
1178:
1177:National teams
1174:
1173:
1171:
1170:
1164:
1162:
1161:Governing body
1158:
1157:
1148:
1147:
1140:
1133:
1125:
1116:
1115:
1113:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1095:Riverside Park
1092:
1087:
1082:
1080:Mansfield Park
1077:
1075:The Greenyards
1071:
1069:
1065:
1064:
1062:
1061:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1046:Selkirk Sevens
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1026:Peebles Sevens
1023:
1021:Berwick Sevens
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
1001:Melrose Sevens
998:
993:
987:
985:
981:
980:
978:
977:
976:St. Ronans RFC
974:
971:
968:
965:
962:
959:
956:
955:Hawick Trinity
953:
948:
945:
942:
939:
936:
931:
928:
925:
922:
919:
916:
913:
911:Border Reivers
908:
905:
901:
899:
895:
894:
892:
891:
889:Walkerburn RFC
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
858:
855:
850:
844:
842:
835:
834:
832:
831:
822:
813:
808:
803:
793:
791:
787:
786:
784:
783:
778:
776:Jed-Forest RFC
773:
767:
765:
758:
757:
755:
754:
748:
746:
739:
738:
736:
735:
729:
727:
726:Governing body
723:
722:
715:
714:
707:
700:
692:
686:
685:
672:McLaren, Bill
670:
653:
650:
649:
648:
643:
636:
633:
632:
631:
626:
617:
616:
611:
606:
601:
596:
587:
586:
581:
576:
571:
566:
557:
556:
551:
546:
544:Gary Armstrong
537:
536:
531:
526:
521:
516:
511:
506:
501:
496:
491:
482:
481:
476:
471:
466:
461:
459:Chris Paterson
456:
451:
446:
441:
436:
426:
423:
420:
419:
418:
417:
414:
411:
408:
405:
402:
399:
396:
393:
388:
387:
386:
383:
380:
377:
374:
369:
368:
367:
364:
361:
334:
331:
311:
308:
304:BT Premiership
299:
298:BT Premiership
296:
287:
284:
256:Main article:
251:Caledonia Reds
238:
237:Border Reivers
235:
231:Border Reivers
199:
196:
168:
165:
156:
153:
144:
141:
104:
101:
84:
83:
41:external links
30:
28:
21:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1687:
1676:
1673:
1672:
1670:
1655:
1652:
1650:
1647:
1645:
1642:
1640:
1637:
1635:
1632:
1630:
1627:
1625:
1622:
1620:
1617:
1615:
1612:
1610:
1607:
1605:
1602:
1600:
1597:
1595:
1592:
1590:
1587:
1585:
1582:
1580:
1577:
1575:
1572:
1570:
1569:League System
1567:
1565:
1562:
1561:
1559:
1555:
1545:
1542:
1540:
1537:
1536:
1534:
1530:
1524:
1521:
1519:
1516:
1515:
1513:
1509:
1506:
1502:
1492:
1489:
1487:
1484:
1482:
1479:
1477:
1474:
1472:
1469:
1468:
1466:
1462:
1456:
1452:
1448:
1444:
1443:
1441:
1437:
1431:
1428:
1426:
1423:
1421:
1418:
1416:
1415:Border League
1413:
1409:
1408:
1404:
1400:
1396:
1392:
1390:
1389:
1385:
1381:
1376:
1374:
1373:
1369:
1368:
1367:
1364:
1363:
1361:
1357:
1351:
1348:
1346:
1343:
1341:
1338:
1336:
1333:
1331:
1328:
1327:
1325:
1321:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1295:
1292:
1290:
1287:
1286:
1284:
1282:International
1280:
1277:
1273:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1254:
1252:
1248:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1188:
1186:
1182:
1179:
1175:
1169:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1159:
1155:
1146:
1141:
1139:
1134:
1132:
1127:
1126:
1123:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1072:
1070:
1066:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1011:Hawick Sevens
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
991:Border League
989:
988:
986:
982:
975:
972:
969:
966:
963:
960:
957:
954:
952:
951:Hawick Trades
949:
946:
943:
941:Hawick Orient
940:
937:
935:
932:
929:
926:
923:
920:
917:
915:Border Rovers
914:
912:
909:
907:Boncaster RFC
906:
903:
902:
900:
898:Defunct clubs
896:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
864:Gala Y.M. RFC
862:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
845:
843:
840:
836:
830:
826:
823:
821:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
798:
795:
794:
792:
788:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
768:
766:
763:
759:
753:
750:
749:
747:
744:
740:
734:
731:
730:
728:
724:
720:
713:
708:
706:
701:
699:
694:
693:
690:
683:
682:0-09-173875-X
679:
675:
671:
668:
667:1-86200-013-1
664:
660:
656:
655:
647:
644:
642:
639:
638:
630:
627:
625:
622:
621:
620:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
602:
600:
597:
595:
592:
591:
590:
585:
582:
580:
577:
575:
572:
570:
567:
565:
562:
561:
560:
555:
552:
550:
549:Greig Laidlaw
547:
545:
542:
541:
540:
535:
532:
530:
527:
525:
522:
520:
517:
515:
512:
510:
507:
505:
502:
500:
497:
495:
492:
490:
487:
486:
485:
480:
477:
475:
472:
470:
467:
465:
462:
460:
457:
455:
452:
450:
447:
445:
442:
440:
437:
435:
432:
431:
430:
415:
412:
409:
406:
403:
401:Hawick Linden
400:
397:
394:
391:
390:
389:
384:
381:
378:
375:
372:
371:
370:
365:
362:
359:
358:
357:
353:
350:
348:
344:
340:
330:
328:
324:
320:
316:
307:
305:
295:
293:
283:
279:
276:
275:Celtic League
271:
269:
264:
259:
254:
252:
248:
244:
234:
232:
228:
223:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
195:
193:
189:
184:
180:
177:
172:
164:
162:
161:Border League
155:Border League
152:
148:
143:Borders rugby
140:
138:
134:
130:
124:
122:
116:
114:
110:
100:
96:
94:
90:
80:
77:
69:
66:November 2017
59:
55:
49:
48:
42:
38:
34:
29:
20:
19:
16:
1639:Hopetoun Cup
1634:Cuttitta Cup
1614:Calcutta Cup
1511:Professional
1439:Junior rugby
1425:Scottish Cup
1393:
1377:
1370:
1359:Amateur Club
1275:Competitions
1110:Rugby sevens
1100:Bill McLaren
1041:Kelso Sevens
973:Roxburgh RFC
930:Gala Thistle
879:Langholm RFC
857:Eyemouth RFC
853:Earlston RFC
718:
673:
658:
619:Selkirk RFC
618:
599:Craig Joiner
589:Melrose RFC
588:
579:John Jeffrey
558:
538:
529:Tony Stanger
509:Bill McLaren
489:Jock Beattie
483:
454:David Leslie
449:Michael Dods
428:
351:
339:East leagues
336:
333:East leagues
313:
301:
289:
280:
272:
267:
265:
261:
240:
224:
201:
185:
181:
173:
170:
167:Rugby sevens
158:
149:
146:
125:
117:
106:
97:
87:
72:
63:
52:Please help
44:
15:
1604:Melrose Cup
1372:Premiership
1294:Six Nations
1105:Melrose Cup
1090:Philiphaugh
1016:Gala Sevens
984:Tournaments
970:Newmill RFC
967:Linden Star
927:Gala Hearts
921:Darnick RFC
829:Berwick RFC
820:Peebles RFC
781:Selkirk RFC
762:Premiership
614:Doddie Weir
564:Roger Baird
554:Roy Laidlaw
524:Adam Robson
519:Jim Renwick
514:Hugh McLeod
504:Willie Kyle
499:Stuart Hogg
494:Colin Deans
484:Hawick RFC
479:Derek White
474:Jock Turner
439:Peter Brown
407:St Boswells
319:rugby union
188:Melrose Cup
89:Rugby union
58:introducing
1388:Division 3
1384:Division 2
1380:Division 1
1085:Netherdale
904:Ancrum RFC
825:Division 3
816:Division 2
797:Division 1
771:Hawick RFC
652:References
609:Jim Telfer
559:Kelso RFC
534:Alan Tomes
444:Peter Dods
434:Jim Aitken
413:Walkerburn
382:Jed-Forest
341:cover the
133:Galashiels
1518:Edinburgh
1399:Caledonia
1289:World Cup
806:Kelso RFC
584:Alan Tait
574:Ross Ford
429:Gala RFC
385:Hawick YM
321:clubs in
227:The South
1669:Category
1557:See also
1350:1872 Cup
848:Duns RFC
801:Gala RFC
635:See also
594:Ned Haig
410:Earlston
398:Langholm
323:Scotland
218:and the
210:against
176:Ned Haig
113:Ned Haig
109:Jedburgh
1564:History
1532:Defunct
1464:Defunct
1330:Super 6
1257:Women's
1250:Women's
961:Ladhope
743:Super 6
416:Gala YM
392:Berwick
379:Peebles
373:Selkirk
363:Melrose
137:Melrose
103:History
91:in the
54:improve
680:
665:
366:Hawick
129:Hawick
1504:Teams
1191:Men's
1184:Men's
841:teams
764:teams
745:teams
376:Kelso
286:Clubs
39:, or
1407:West
1403:East
1236:U-16
1231:U-17
1226:U-18
1221:U-19
1216:U-20
1211:U-21
678:ISBN
663:ISBN
395:Duns
360:Gala
337:The
302:The
249:and
202:The
186:The
135:and
1447:U20
1671::
1453:,
1449:,
1405:,
1401:,
1397:-
1386:,
1382:,
1262:7s
1241:7s
827::
818::
799::
329:.
253:.
245:,
233:.
222:.
214:,
131:,
43:,
35:,
1201:B
1196:A
1144:e
1137:t
1130:v
711:e
704:t
697:v
684:)
669:)
79:)
73:(
68:)
64:(
50:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.