Heriot's Rugby Club

Heriot's

Union	SRU
Founded	1890;135 years ago (1890)
Location	Edinburgh, Scotland
Ground(s)	Goldenacre Sports Ground (Capacity: 3,000+ [1] )
President	Gav Stevenson
Coach(es)	Phil Smith
League(s)	Men:  Scottish Premiership  Women:  Scottish Womens Premiership
2024–25	Men:  Scottish Premiership, 2nd of 12  Women:  Scottish Womens Premiership, 5th of 8
Team kit
Official website
heriotsrugbyclub.co.uk

Heriot's Rugby Club, formerly known as Heriot's FP, is one of Scotland's senior rugby football clubs in the Scottish Rugby Union. The Men's 1st XV play in the Scottish Premiership and the women play in Scottish Womens Premiership.

Between the 2019-2020 and 2023-2024 seasons the club ran a men's semi-professional side which competed in the Super 6 league and Super Sprint competitions.

History

The club's home is in the Goldenacre area in Edinburgh. ^[2] The rugby club, founded in 1890, was originally intended for former pupils of George Heriot's School, but is now an open club, welcoming rugby players of all levels. ^[2]

Player development starts with a highly successful Mini/Midi Section and moves onto the senior levels. The club has coaching staff that are very well respected in Scottish rugby. Heriot's Rugby club are the only Scottish club never to have been relegated from the first division.

The team had the surprising honour of having a player, Chris Fusaro, called for Scotland A for the IRB Nations Cup, in 2010. He was the only amateur player called and it was announced that he was joining Glasgow Warriors. ^[3]

Current men's squad

Heriot's Rugby Super Series squad
Props Struan Cessford Chris Keen Euan McLaren Josh Scott Cairn Ramsay Hookers Cammy Fenton Michael Liness Duncan Hood Locks Jamie Campbell Ronan Seydak	Back row Ben Smith Ruairidh Leishman Charlie Jupp Wallace Nelson Callum Anderson Iain Wilson (c) Scrum halves Euan McAra Fin Campbell Sinjin Broad Andrew Simmers	Fly halves Bruce Houston Ross Jones Centres Grant Hughes Matt Davidson Wings Ben Evans Lewis Wells George Barber Sam Pecqueur Fullbacks Dan King Liam Richman
(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players. * denotes players qualified to play for Scotland on residency or dual nationality.

Edinburgh Rugby drafted players:

• Jack Blain
• Murray McCallum

Former Heriot's Players, signed for professional teams from Heriot's:

• Cam Jones - Ospreys
• Cameron Hutchison - Edinburgh Rugby
• Elliot Young - Exeter Chiefs
• Sophie Langford - Exeter Chiefs

Sevens tournament

The club ran an Under 20s Sevens tournament. The teams played for the Goldenacre Cup. ^[4]

Notable players

• Andy Irvine most capped international (51 caps for Scotland, 1974, 1977, 1980 British and Irish Lions). ^[2]
• Ken Scotland (27 caps for Scotland, 1959 British and Irish Lions) ^{[2] [5]}
• Dan Drysdale (26 caps for Scotland, 1924 British and Irish Lions) ^{[2] [5]}
• Jimmy Kerr ^[2]
• John Craig
• Tommy Gray ^[2]
• Ian Thomson ^[2]
• Colin Blaikie ^[2]
• Ian Smith ^[2]
• Kenny Milne (39 caps for Scotland, 1993 British and Irish Lions)
• David Milne ^[2]
• Bruce Douglas
• Simon Taylor (56 caps for Scotland, 2001, 2005 British and Irish Lions)
• John Beattie (25 Caps for Scotland, 1980, 1983, 1986 British and Irish Lions)
• Jimmy Kerr
• Roy Kinnear (3 caps for Scotland, 1929 British and Irish Lions)
• Kelvin Hendrie
• Iain Milne (44 caps for Scotland, 1983 British and Irish Lions)
• Gavin Cameron
• Douglas Muir
• Cornell du Preez
• David Kerr

Honours

Men

• Scottish Unofficial Championship
  • Champions (5): 1919–20, 1922–23, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1949–50
• Scottish Premiership
  • Champions (5): 1978–79, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2014–15, 2015-16
  • Runners-Up (2): 2004–05, 2008–09
• Scottish Cup
  • Champions: (4) 2002–03, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015-16
  • Runners-Up: (2) 2007–08, 2018-19
• Heriots Sevens ^[4]
  • Champions: 1951, 1956, 1957
• Langholm Sevens
  • Champions (6): 1926, 1928, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1954
• Melrose Sevens
  • Champions (4): 1923, 1954, 1957, 1958
• Hawick Sevens
  • Champions (8): 1905, 1922, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1947, 1954, 1999
• Gala Sevens
  • Champions (2): 1973, 2008
• Jed-Forest Sevens
  • Champions (9): 1925, 1933, 1938, 1939, 1955, 1958, 1987, 2006, 2012
• Peebles Sevens
  • Champions (7): 1951, 1953, 1958, 1964, 1978, 1983, 1985
• Selkirk Sevens
  • Champions (2): 1926, 1935
• Walkerburn Sevens
  • Champions (4): 1953, 1954, 1979, 1982
• Middlesex Sevens
  • Champions (1): 1949
• Edinburgh Northern Sevens
  • Champions (5): 1988, 1994, 1999, 2007, 2012 ^[6]
• Huddersfield Sevens
  • Champions: 1951 ^[7]

Women

• Edinburgh City Sevens ^[8]
  • Champions (1): 2023

References

1. "Rugby Union | Edinburgh News". www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com.
2. Bath, p89
3. "Fusaro handed Scotland A chance". 18 May 2010 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
4. "Heriots Sevens". 26 August 2022.
5. Jones, p44
6. "Edinburgh Northern Sevens". 7 June 2019.
7. "Register" . Retrieved 17 March 2023– via British Newspaper Archive.
8. Winners Women's Open

Sources

1. Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ISBN   1-86200-013-1)
2. Godwin, Terry Complete Who's Who of International Rugby (Cassell, 1987, ISBN   0-7137-1838-2)
3. Jones, J.R. Encyclopedia of Rugby Union Football (Robert Hale, London, 1976 ISBN   0-7091-5394-5)
4. Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; ISBN   0-904919-84-6)

External links

• Official website