Puneet Varma (Editor)

University of St Andrews RFC

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Nickname(s)
  
Saints

2013/14
  
1st

Union
  
Rugby Football Union

League(s)
  
BUCS North Premier B

Founded
  
1858

Grounds
  
St Andrews, Fife

Full name
  
University of Saint Andrews Rugby Football Club

University of st andrews rfc vs cambridge urufc


The University of St Andrews Rugby Football Club is an affiliated member of the University of St Andrews Athletic Union in Fife, Scotland. It was founded in 1858, making it one of the oldest football clubs in the world. In 2008, the club celebrated its sesquicentennial year, marking its 150th anniversary.

Contents

The club is one of the founder members of the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) and is often quoted as being the birthplace of 'running and passing' rugby, a distinct tactical advancement from the initial 'solo break/kick and chase' tactics which characterised the early years of the game's development.

The club's 1st XV play their home games at University Park, in the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) North Premier B and the Caledonia One. In 2007, the 2nd XV were Scottish University Cup champions and currently play in BUCS Scottish Division 3A. On 24 March 2012 the 1st XV won the RBS Caledonia Division 2 Midlands title, beating Kinross 75-0 to lift the trophy. They were promoted to Caledonia League 1 three weeks later, beating Moray RFC, Caledonia 2 North Champions, 21-0.

In the 2013-14 season, they won BUCS 1A Scotland unbeaten, winning 9 games from 9. The 1st XV also defeated Edinburgh for the first time at the annual Varsity Match since it has been hosted at London Scottish's ground in Richmond.

In the 2014-15 season, having pulled out of the regional league system, they only competed in BUCS leagues. The 1st XV won BUCS 1A Scotland again, and are on a four game win-streak against Edinburgh in The Scottish Varsity.

Notable players

St Andrews has produced 21 (Men's) international players: 19 for Scotland and 1 each for England and Ireland. Four of which have become British and Irish Lions: Tyrone Howe, Duncan Macrae, Chris Rea and Robert Stevenson. St Andrews has also produced two women's international players for Scotland. This means that St Andrews has produced more Scotland internationalists than any other Scottish university, bar Edinburgh.

Notably, St Andrews provided three players for the first ever rugby international:

  • Robert Munro;
  • Alfred Clunies-Ross; and
  • J. S. Thomson.
  • Other subsequent international players include:

  • Peter Anton
  • David Bell
  • Kim Elgie, capped for Scotland, and also for South Africa at cricket.
  • Cameron Glasgow
  • C. C. P. Hill/Colin Hill
  • Damian Hopley represented England 1993 - 1995
  • Rab Bruce Lockhart
  • Jon Petrie
  • Hamish Scott
  • Ian Swan
  • A. M. Thompson
  • D. J. Whyte/David Whyte
  • J. S. Wilson
  • References

    University of St Andrews RFC Wikipedia