Currie RFC

Last updated

Currie Chieftains
Currie chieftains.png
Full nameCurrie Rugby Football Club
Union Scottish Rugby Union
Nickname(s)Chieftains
Founded1970;54 years ago (1970)
Location Edinburgh, Scotland
Ground(s)Malleny Park, Balerno, Edinburgh (Capacity: 2,000 [1] )
PresidentCharles Mullins
Coach(es)Mark Cairns
Ally Donaldson
Captain(s)Rhys Davies
League(s) Scottish Premiership
2023/243rd (Champions)
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Team kit
Official website
www.curriechieftains.org

Currie Rugby Football Club are an Edinburgh-based rugby union club in the Scottish Rugby Union, they currently play in the Scottish Premiership. Despite the name, "Currie" RFC is actually based in the neighbouring suburb of Balerno, and they play at Malleny Park.

Contents

Currently the club run three senior sides, along with the Colts and youth rugby ages group teams.

History

The foundation of the club was initially started by six individuals; Bob Kirkwood, Jack Hogg, Roger Mclaren, Tom Chandler, David Bisset & Alex Galbraith . Having discussed the formation of a team in a local bar called the Weavers Knowe. From these discussions followed the idea to form a full rugby club in the local area.

The 'six' were joined by Gordon Stewart, and given the necessary backing and, more importantly, use of the facilities at Currie High School, by the Headmaster, Ronnie Paul. Together the group sent out posters and leaflets around the Currie, Balerno and Juniper Green area calling on all interested to attend an open meeting at Curriehill School in April 1970 to 'discuss the formation of a local Rugby Club'. On the given evening 35 individuals attended and it was agreed to form a club to be called Currie Rugby Football Club, with the aim of promoting and developing the game of rugby within the area for the benefit of the sport and the community. The club officially formed in April 1970 and in October that year a team was fielded to play Gala Wanderers at Gala. For the very first game the club played in jerseys borrowed from Boroughmuir. By January 1971 they were fielding two XVs and the following season a third occasionally appeared.

Previous logo until 2017 Currierfc.JPG
Previous logo until 2017

In the season 1973–74 the SRU decided to formalise the then unofficial championship and bring in a league structure, which gave Currie the entry to Edinburgh District League, Division II. Progress and promotion followed in 1976–77. The club was promoted from the District League into the National League during the 1979–80 season, where the club would go undefeated and scored over 1,000 points.

Successive promotion to Division 6 came the next year and following league reconstruction the club was in Division 5 by the start of the 1981–82 season. The rise of the club would continue with them winning promotion in 1982–83, 1985–86 and 1986–87 to arrive in Division 2 of the National League.

In 1989–90 Currie completed a remarkable rise through the leagues by finishing second in Division 2 and were promoted to Division 1 alongside Edinburgh Wanders. The club remained in the top division of Scottish Rugby until 1995 where league reconstruction saw them along with five other teams demoted into the Division 2. However, the club would bounce back the following year to win Division 2 outright regained promotion back to Division I, alongside Jed-Forest. The club have remained in the top tier of the National League ever since.

In 2006–07 season Currie secured their first Division 1 championship with victory over Heriots at Goldenacre, beating Glasgow Hawks to the league title. It completed the fasted ever journey from club formation to League success in the history of Scottish Rugby. They would repeat this in 2009–10 beating Ayr to the title. [2]

In 2017, they rebranded as the Currie Chieftains.

The Post COVID-19 seasons of 2021/22 and 2022/23 were very bittersweet for the club. Maintaining the majority of players from pre-pandemic and even having a squad big enough to enter a 3XV into the reserve leagues of Scottish rugby. Currie reached the final of the Premiership (originally known as Division 1) in both seasons, but lost both finals. The first was a 25-36 loss to Marr at home, in a game that they were favourites to win. [3] The second final was even more cruel on the men in Black and Gold. After scoring a late try through winger Kody McGovern, the Chieftains were up 18-14 away from home against a 13 man Hawick side and only had 6 minutes left of the game to play. However, Hawick scored at the death and converted to win the game 21-18. [4]

In the 2023/24 season, Currie Chieftains reached a third successive Premiership Final and this time, they won it! Once again, playing against Hawick away at Mansfield Park, Currie put in a strong performance. Leading 16-10 at Half Time and winning 26-24, despite playing the entire second half with 14 men. This was the club's third league title and it also won them the Bill McLaren shield. [5]

Sevens

The club run the Currie Sevens tournament. The teams play for the Balerno Bowl. [6]

Honours

Notable former players

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melrose RFC</span> Scottish rugby union club, based in Melrose

Melrose Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club located in the town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders. The professional men's side competes in the Super 6 as the "Southern Knights". The club plays at the Greenyards.

Stirling County RFC is a Scottish rugby union club based in Stirling. The club plays its home games at Bridgehaugh. It runs a number of sides. The professional men's side competes in the Super 6 as the Stirling Wolves, the women's side competes in the Scottish Womens Premiership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Watsonian FC</span> Scottish rugby union club, based in Edinburgh

Watsonian Football Club is a rugby union club based in Edinburgh and part of the Scottish Rugby Union. The club is connected with George Watson's College as a club for former pupils, and changed its policy in the 1980s to be a fully open club, welcoming players of all abilities regardless of whether they attended the school or not. It is one of a small number of rugby union clubs entitled to call itself a 'football club', rather than a 'rugby football club'. Watsonians run a number of sides; the top male side plays in the FOSROC Super Series tournament, the Women's side plays in the Tennents Scottish Women's Premiership Scottish Rugby's Women's League

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ayr RFC</span> Scottish rugby union club, based in Ayr

Ayr Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club. Its professional men's side currently plays as Ayrshire Bulls in the Super 6 competition; and its women's side play in the Scottish Womens National One. The club also runs a "Club XV" which competes in the Tennent's National League 1, a 2nd XV "Ayr-Millbrae", which plays in the SRU West Reserve League Division 1, and various age group teams, from age 4, up to age 18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biggar RFC</span> Scottish rugby union club, based in Biggar

Biggar RFC is a rugby union club based in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Founded in 1975, the team plays its home games at Hartree Mill. The men's side currently competes in Scottish National League Division One, the women's side currently compete in Scottish Womens West One.

Boroughmuir RFC is a rugby union club in the Scottish Rugby Union. The club's home ground is Meggetland, in southwest Edinburgh and the club plays in the Super 6, where they are known as the Boroughmuir Bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gala RFC</span> Scottish rugby union club, based in Galashiels

Gala Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team based in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. Founded in 1875, it plays its home games at Netherdale. The team currently competes in Scottish National League Division One, the second tier of Scottish club rugby, and the Border League.

The Scottish Premiership is the highest level club division in Scotland's national rugby union league divisions, and therefore part of the Scottish League Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edinburgh Academical Football Club</span> Scottish rugby union club, based in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Academical Football Club, also known as Edinburgh Accies, is a rugby union club in Edinburgh, Scotland. The club is currently a member of the Scottish Premiership, the top tier of Scottish club rugby. Its home ground is Raeburn Place, in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. The team is coached by Iain Berthinussen.

Edinburgh University Rugby Football Club is a leading rugby union side based in Edinburgh, Scotland which currently plays its fixtures in the Edinburgh Regional Shield competition and the British Universities Premiership. It is one of the eight founder members of the Scottish Rugby Union. In the years prior to the SRU's introduction of club leagues in 1973 and the advent of professionalism in the 1990s, EURFC was a major club power and it won the 'unofficial' Scottish Club championship several times. It remains a club with an all-student committee, and is only open to students of the University of Edinburgh. The club runs a men's team and a women's team; both playing in the university leagues.

Musselburgh Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland. The team play their home games at Stoneyhill and currently compete in the Scottish Premiership, the top tier of Scottish club rugby.

The Scottish National League Division One is the second tier of the Scottish League Championship for amateur rugby union clubs in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forrester RFC</span> Scottish Rugby union football club

Forrester RFC is a rugby union football club in the Scottish Rugby Union, located at South Gyle Access in Edinburgh. They play in the East Division 1, one of three Scottish Regional Leagues operated by the Scottish Rugby Union.

The Scottish Premiership is the highest level of amateur league competition for Scottish rugby union clubs. First held in 1973, it is the top division of the Scottish League Championship. The most recent (2024) champions are the Currie Chieftains, who are also the youngest club to win the competition. The most successful club is Hawick, who have won the competition thirteen times.

The Scottish National League Division Two is the third tier of the Scottish League Championship for amateur rugby union clubs in Scotland.

Lasswade Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, Scotland. Established in 1921, the club plays at Hawthornden in Lasswade parish and competes in Scottish National League Division Two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotland Club XV</span> Rugby team

The Scotland national Club XV rugby union team is one of several national rugby union teams behind the Scottish national side.

Walkerburn Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Walkerburn RFC, in Walkerburn, Scotland. The Walkerburn Sevens was the sixth of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated, in 1911, after the bigger events of the Border Sevens spring circuit.

The 2022–2023 Amateur Scottish Inter-District Championship is a rugby union competition for Scotland's amateur district teams.

The 2023–24 Scottish League Championship, or 2023–24 Tennents League Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the 48th season of formal domestic rugby union leagues in Scotland.

References

  1. ↑ "Currie". BetsAPI. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Currie Crowned Scottish Champions". Glasgow Warriors. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Currie vs Marr". Sky Sports. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  4. ↑ "TENNENT'S MEN'S PREMIERSHIP FINAL 2023, HAWICK V CURRIE CHIEFTAINS MATCH REPORT". Scottish Rugby. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "MEN'S PREMIERSHIP FINAL: HAWICK 24-26 CURRIE" . Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Currie Sevens". 7 June 2019.
  7. ↑ "Walkerburn | Kings of the 7s".
  8. ↑ "Lochaber Sevens". 11 June 2019.
  9. ↑ "Forrester Sevens". 7 June 2019.
  10. ↑ "Holy Cross Sevens". 7 June 2019.
  11. ↑ "Edinburgh Northern Sevens". 7 June 2019.
  12. ↑ "Edinburgh District Sevens". 7 June 2019.
  13. ↑ "Edinburgh Rugby sign stand-off Blair Kinghorn - The Scotsman". Archived from the original on 20 December 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.