History Edinburgh University RFC

the 1901 team.

established in 1857, club plays home fixtures @ university of edinburgh s peffermill playing grounds, having moved traditional ground @ craiglockhart in season 1982–83. first ever match in december 1857 against edinburgh academicals fc – in 2007 2 clubs replayed fixture celebrate 150th anniversary of eurfc s founding using replica period kit, ball , complying older rules.

eurfc has produced 72 young full-international (for major irb countries) players whilst still students representing club; these include 1924 olympic 400m gold medallist eric liddell, 1904 british lions captain david bedell-sivright – 1 of 7 eurfc members play british lions whilst still students @ club, norman mair – future legendary sports writer , scotland cricketer, black & macdonald great 1950 british lions half-back partnership, , ian smith flying scot 1920s held 5-nations try-scoring record many years.

many more of rugby s international players worldwide played university prior being capped other clubs; these include scotland , british lions greats dan drysdale, , andy irvine, both future sru presidents heriot s fp, david johnston (watsonians) had played contracted footballer heart of midlothian fc, , recent club coach ian barnes won many scotland caps hawick club.

in 1871 club member angus buchanan scored first ever international try in inaugural international match whilst representing scotland versus england @ raeburn place. there 3 current club representatives in scottish brown jerseys on day; other 2 being j.forsyth , j.l.h macfarlane.

in 1901 after winning scottish unofficial championship, club provided extraordinary 8 members of scotland xv defeat wales february. these bedell-sivright, a.b flett, alfred fell, alex frew, w.h welsh, f.m fasson, a.b timms, , a.w. duncan. of these, alex frew not won 3 scotland caps eurfc captained south africa in first ever match against touring british lions on lone appearance country in 1903. representative member of western province, had settled doctor after edinburgh graduation of 1902.

a great rugby rarity happened in 1910 when eurfc player c.g. timms had distinction of representing club throughout year , british & irish lions on tour south africa without ever winning international cap before or after. charlie timms may have made lack of international caps going on awarded 4 military crosses in world war medical officer – great , possibly unique rarity. brother a.b timms capped scotland club in 1896, time selected lions tour of 1899 representing edinburgh wanderers club.

the club s fortunes waned in 1930s, great revival took place in 1950s, , 60s when club finished runners-up in scotland s unofficial championship twice in 1963–64 , 1966–67 – in latter year 28 out of 34 matches played won , club led competition in april quite enough have won outright, highly commended sportingly arranging fixtures, 1 of lost hawick won championship. in time names such contemporary scotland internationals john frame, ian smith (who went on score famous scotland try defeated south africa in 1969), , harry rea (an irish cap) fore.

the last major international player club jock millican, thrice capped in 1972–73. after decision had been taken club s [all-student] committee sru proposal league system on grounds benefit scottish rugby whole, in full knowledge inevitably pose great problems club itself. since 1973 phil lucas has been capped internationally while playing barbados in 2009.

until 1983 eurfc enjoyed regular home , away fixtures oxford , cambridge universities distinct success; many players have interchanged between 3 university clubs on graduations – 2 of many notable examples of being ian smith, flying scot joined edinburgh oxford , played 4 seasons 1924, , micky steele-bodger of england, , barbarians president fame – 1947 edinburgh postgraduate cambridge destined become future chairman of international rugby board. in time eurfc had regular fixtures university xv s of durham, newcastle, , other northern english institutions. eurfc has received , played against clubs of major rugby playing countries

in years 1973 until 2012 club retained position within top 36 clubs in sru league structure on saturdays; occasional promotions scottish premiership balanced returns top end of national league below. wednesday afternoons saw fixtures in scottish universities championship won many times , many players represented scottish universities xv. memorable victory in sru s scottish hydroelectric bowl competition registered in 2009 final being played against aberdeenshire rfc @ murrayfield. great ambition coupled reorganisations in british university competition saw club qualify admission bucs premier north b league @ first available opportunity; inevitably saw reluctant departure sru league structure aid concentration on enormous travelling requirements south of border. club remains scottish university @ level.