Union Scottish Rugby Union President John Thorburn 2016-17 9th Coach Nikki Walker | Location Hawick, Scotland Captain(s) Bruce McNeil Founded 1873 League Scottish Premiership | |
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Full name Hawick Rugby Football Club Ground Mansfield Park, Hawick (Capacity: 5,000) | ||
Hawick Rugby Football Club is an amateur rugby union side, currently playing in the Premiership Division One and Border League. The team are based at Mansfield Park at Hawick in the Scottish Borders.
Contents
- Early history
- Establishment of the Club
- 1945 to 1972 Scottish Domination
- 1972 onwards
- Famous players
- 1888 British Isles tourists
- Other famous players
- Current squad
- Allocated Professionals
- References
Hawick RFC are one of the most famous rugby clubs in the world. They have always contributed a huge amount to the national side with 58 Hawick players having represented Scotland.
One of Hawick's lesser known claims to fame is that they held the first floodlit match in Scotland in 1879. Bizarrely, it is said that some of the players in the match attempted to tackle shadows.
Early history
In October 1872, members of the Hawick and Wilton Cricket Club decided that in order to keep fit over the winter they should begin playing football. Both association and rugby union football were experimented with but the rugby format triumphed as it was considered "manlier and more congenial to the Border nature than the tamer association game". The club was formed on 8 December 1873 and played at Buccleuch Park, the home of the cricket club.
However few games were played as there were not many other rugby clubs in the area, players had difficulty being released from their work, and Edinburgh sides were seldom willing to travel down to play individual club teams.
Establishment of the Club
1885 saw the rugby players reorganised themselves as Hawick Football Club, moving to new premises at the Volunteer Park, just beyond the cricket pitch. New colours were adopted, dark green jerseys and stockings with white shorts, and in 1886 Hawick was admitted to membership of the Scottish Football (later Rugby) Union, only the 19th club to be admitted, the only earlier Border clubs being Gala and Melrose RFC.
In 1888 Hawick Football Club moved to its present home, Mansfield Park, at the other end of the town. The early seasons brought keenly contested games against Edinburgh Academicals, Gala, and Watsonians, and in 1896 Hawick won their first Scottish championship.
1945 to 1972 – Scottish Domination
Between 1945 and 1972 Hawick club firmly established among the leaders of Scottish rugby, winning the unofficial championship eight times, taking the Border League title fifteen times, and earning fame as sevens specialists.
In the 1950s, all 15 of Hawick RFC were approached by rugby league scouts from Yorkshire.
In this period, Hugh McLeod, George Stevenson, Adam Robson, and Derrick Grant alone won 100 international caps between them, while fifteen other Greens played for their country.
1972 onwards
The official Scottish championship began in season 1972–73 and since that time Hawick Rugby Football Club has maintained its prized place in Division One, winning the championship on twelve occasions. The proud record of winning the first Border League in 1901–02 and the first Scottish championship in 1972–73 was added to in 1995–96 when the club were also first winners of the SRU Tennents' Scottish Cup. Indeed, in season 2002–03, the Greens completed the treble, winning Scottish League championship, Scottish Cup and Border League championship. In 2009 Hawick were relegated to the 2nd Division for the first time in their history. Hawick regained their place in the RBS Premiership at the end of the 2012–13 season with a 39–38 playoff victory over Dundee HSFP.
Famous players
Hawick RFC already seen 58 players represent Scotland.
1888 British Isles tourists
Three Hawick players took part in the 1888 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia
Other famous players
The famous rugby commentator Bill McLaren also played for Hawick.
Current squad
Current Hawick squad for the 2014–15 season.
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
Allocated Professionals
Professional players allocated to Hawick as an outcome of the 2014–15 Pro Player Draft.
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.