Co-Optimist Rugby Club

Last updated

Co-Optimist Rugby Club
Co-Optimist RFC logo.png
Nickname(s)Co-Ops
Founded1924
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body white bow and collar.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks 3whitehoops.png
Kit socks long.svg
Team kit
Official website
www.co-optimistrugbyclub.co.uk

The Co-Optimist Rugby Club is an invitational rugby union club founded in 1924 by Jock Wemyss, the former Scottish test player, together with George St Claire Murray, a rugby enthusiast from the Watsonians club. [1]

Contents

The Co-Optimists have played against national fifteen-a-side teams including France, Ireland and Zimbabwe in the 1980s. [1] The club also has a proud record at the Hong Kong Sevens tournament, finishing as runner-up to Fiji in 1980, [2] [3] as a semi-finalist against Australia in 1981, and a quarter-finalist in 1986. [2]

Club colours and emblem

The club colours are a navy blue jersey with white shorts and navy and white hooped socks. The Co-Optimist badge is a lion couchant in blue on a white background.

Notable players

Many well-known international players have represented the club including: Finlay Calder, Jonathan Davies, Mike Gibson, Gavin Hastings, Scott Hastings, Andy Irvine, Dickie Jeeps, John Jeffrey, Tom Kiernan, Ian McGeechan, Doddie Weir, Tony O'Reilly and Rob Wainwright. [1]

Partial list of games played against international opposition

XVs

YearDateOpponentVenueResultScoreTour
197914 October Flag of South Africa.svg South African Barbarians Mansfield Park, Hawick Win24 - 4 Report
19896 April Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Students Meggetland Sports Complex, Edinburgh Win17 - 15 Report

Sevens

YearDateOpponentVenueResultScoreTour
198012 April Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada 7s Hong KongWin
198012 April Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia 7s Hong KongWin
198013 April Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand 7s Hong KongWin
198013 April Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji 7s Hong KongLoss8 - 12 Report
198128 March Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia 7s Hong KongWin22 - 6 Report
198128 March Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore 7s Hong KongWin22 - 4 Report
198129 March Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia 7s Hong KongLoss10 - 18 Report
19865 April Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg Papua New Guinea 7s Hong KongWin26 - 0 Report
19865 April Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada 7s Hong KongWin14 - 8 Report
19866 April Flag of France.svg French Barbarians Hong KongLoss10 - 22 Report

Honours

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Co-Ops History". Co-Optimist Rugby. 2016. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Brazen behaviour: how fans like to party hard at Hong Kong Sevens". South China Morning Post. 18 March 2015. Archived from the original on 3 May 2017.
  3. "The HK 7s history". Fiji Times. 9 April 2016. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  4. "Edinburgh Charity Sevens". Scottish Sevens tournaments. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  5. "Edinburgh Borderers Sevens". Scottish Sevens tournaments. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  6. "Glasgow High Kelvinside Sevens". 26 August 2021.