Bottle Match

Last updated

Bottle Match
FormerlyThe Miners Cup
Sport Rugby Union
Founded1902
No. of teams2
Competitors CSM vs RSM
Country United Kingdom
Venue(s) Penryn (Cornwall) or Kensington (London)
Most titlesRSM (46)
Official website Bottle Match
Notes
Also includes subsidiary competitions – Hockey, Football, Squash, Golf and Lacrosse

The Bottle Match is a varsity match played between the Camborne School of Mines (CSM) of Exeter University and the Royal School of Mines (RSM) of Imperial College London. The first recorded match between the two sides took place on 16 December 1902.

Contents

The Bottle Match started as a rugby union match, but as the schools sporting interests diversified, other sports began to be played as part of the match. Since 2006, the match has included six games played between the two institutions: men's rugby union, football, men's and women's hockey, squash and golf. As of 2010, Netball has been included as an event. In 2017, mixed-gender Lacrosse was added to the list of sports.

The Bottle Match is traditionally held in February, normally on the third weekend of the month. The match reflects a long-standing rivalry between the RSM and CSM. [1]

Trophies

The winner of the Bottle trophy itself hinges entirely on the outcome of the rugby match. The winning team takes home the 'Bottle', a 3-ft tall tin beer bottle adorned with the two crests of the institution, which was acquired in 1926 by a number of RSM students from the top of a Bass lorry. Since the 1950s, players on the winning side were presented with personal tankards from the South African-based company Union Corporation/Gencor. This tradition continues with the tankards provided by Michael West and the Mining Journal. There is also a trophy awarded to the man of the match. The Centenary Bottle Match was held in Cornwall in 2002, with RSM being victorious, and Anton Griffiths from CSM winning the man of the match trophy.

The winners of the men's hockey take the Sharpley Cup, a silver cup presented by J.E. Sharpley, an RSM alumnus, in the 1950s.

The winners of the women's hockey take the Golders Cup, a small silver cup presented by Golder Associates the 1990s.

Sport
Rugby
Football
Hockey, Men's
Hockey, Women's
NameThe BottleSharpley CupGolders Cup
Trophy BottleFC.JPG
Dated(Apx)1920s1950s1990s
Presented byJ.E. SharpleyGolder Associates

Bottle Match results

DateWinnerScoreVenueRSM WinsCSM WinsDraws
16 December 1902DrawLondon001
Results missing
1932RSM8–20Cornwall
Results missing
1946CSM
1947RSM5–8
Results missing
1950RSM
1951CSM
1952CSM
1953CSM
1954CSM
1955RSM0–3
Results missing
1980RSM
1981CSM
1982RSM
Results missing
1985RSMExeter
1986CSM
1987CSM
1988CSM
1989RSM
Results missing
1992CSM2928
1993CSM2929
1994CSM2930
1995CSM2931
1996CSMCornwall29326
1997RSMLondon29326
1998RSM26–0Cornwall30326
1999RSMLondon31326
2000RSM22–10Cornwall32326
2001RSMLondon33326
2002RSM29–17Cornwall34326
2003RSM12–5London35326
2004RSM10–22Cornwall36326
2005RSM17–15London37326
2006RSM11–29Cornwall38326
2007CSM3–5London38336
2008RSM10–13Cornwall39336
2009RSM14–10London40336
2010CSM13–0Cornwall40346
2011RSM25–20London41346
2012RSM22–0Cornwall42346
2013RSM24–8London43346
2014Draw*6–6Cornwall43347
2015RSM19–7London44347
2016CSM14–5Cornwall44357
2017RSM36–19London45357
2018CSM35–5Cornwall45367
2019RSM15–5London46367
2020CSM10-7Cornwall46377
2021CSM7-52London46387
2022CSM17-10Cornwall46397
2023Draw*17-17London46398
2024RSM3-12Cornwall47398

Total wins

Total matchesRSM victoriesCSM victoriesDraws
11647398

Note that there are 28 missing years from the tally.

Bottle Match weekend results

Where scores are available:

DateNumberVenueRugby
Men's
19021stLondonDraw
Results missing
193230thCornwall8–20
RSM
Results missing
194645thCSM
194745thCornwall5–8
RSM
Results missing
195048thRSM
195149thCSM
195250thCSM
195351stCSM
195452ndCSM
195553rdCornwall0–3
RSM
Results missing
198078thRSM
198179thCSM
198280thRSM
Results Missing84th 85th

th4

Cornwall London

rnwallo

CSM

CSM

869th4rnwalloMS
879th5ndonoMS
88986thCornwallCSM
Results missing
199290thCSM
199391stCSM
199492ndCSM
199593rdCSM
199694thCornwallCSM
199795thLondonRSM
199896thCornwall0–26
RSM
199997thLondonRSM
DateNumberVenueRugbyFootballHockeySquash'GolfNetballBadmintonTennisLacrosseBasketball
Men'sWomen'sMen'sMen'sWomen's
200098thCornwall10–22
RSM
Results missing
200199thLondon
RSM
Results missing
2002100thCornwall17–29
RSM
5–2
CSM

CSM

CSM

CSM
2003101stLondon12–5
RSM
1–0
RSM
2–3
CSM
1–1
Draw
3–2
RSM
2004102ndCornwall10–22
RSM
5–5
Draw
6–2
CSM
8–0
CSM
4–1
CSM
2005103rdLondon17–15
RSM
5–2
RSM
1–3
CSM
1–4
CSM
3–2
RSM
2006104thCornwall11–29
RSM
-
CSM
2–1
CSM
3–0
CSM
5–0
CSM
1–4
RSM
2007105thLondon3–5
CSM
5–15
CSM
1–6
CSM
1–5
CSM
1–5
CSM
5–0
RSM

CSM
2008106thCornwall10–13
RSM
6–0
CSM
3–4
RSM
3–2
CSM
5–0
CSM

CSM
2009107thLondon14–10
RSM
0–4
CSM
0–5
CSM
0–5
CSM
0–5
CSM

CSM
2010108thCornwall13–0
CSM
7–0
CSM
5–1
CSM
3–0
CSM
4–1
CSM
2–2
Draw
15–4
RSM
2011109thLondon25–20
RSM
2–3
CSM
1–4
CSM
5–3
RSM
3–2
RSM
2.5–0.5
RSM
34 – 15
RSM
40–64
CSM
2012110thCornwall0–22
RSM
0–0
Draw
3–1
CSM
2–1
CSM
0–5
RSM
2–2
Draw
39–27
CSM
2013111thLondon24–8
RSM
0–4
CSM
0–1
CSM
1–1
Draw
5–0
RSM
3–1
RSM
27–25
RSM
2014112thCornwall6–6
Draw
3–0
CSM
0–3
RSM
2–3
RSM
2–3
RSM

CSM
55–19
CSM
2015113thLondon19-7
RSM
0–3
CSM
4–2
RSM
1–10
CSM
5–0
RSM

CSM
6–12
CSM
2016114thCornwall14-5
CSM
3–0
CSM
3–3
Draw
12–0
CSM
5–0
CSM
2017115thLondon36-19
RSM
1–1
Draw
3–1
RSM
0–6
CSM
0-4
CSM
2-1
RSM
11–50
CSM
9–0
RSM
0–4
CSM
10–3
RSM
2018116thCornwall35-5
CSM
3–1
CSM
3-3
Draw
-
CSM
14–31
CSM
1–8
CSM
10–3
RSM
2019117thLondon15-5
RSM
1–0
RSM
1-4
CSM
2-7
CSM
2–3
CSM
2–88
CSM
2–8
CSM
1–7
CSM
12–6
RSM
2020118thCornwall7-10
CSM
0–2
CSM
2-1

RSM

0-21
CSM
0–3
CSM
2–109
CSM
5–4
RSM
0–12
CSM
3-28
CSM
2022119thCornwall17-10
CSM
2-1
CSM
0-1

RSM

2-0
CSM
4–0
CSM
82–5
CSM
3–5
RSM
12–0
CSM
2023120thLondon17–17
Draw
0-2
CSM
1-2
CSM
2–0
RSM
62–9
CSM
6–19
CSM
0–3
CSM
6–11
CSM

Note that when matches are drawn, the trophy is retained by the previous winners. The "2021 Bottle Match" was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

See also

References

  1. "Anger at Cornish 'inbreds' remark". BBC News . 2 June 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2013.