Rugby team
 | ||
| Nickname(s) | Co-Ops | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1924 | |
| ||
| Official website | ||
| www | ||
Team 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.
The Co-Optimists have played against national fifteen-a-side teams including France, Ireland and Zimbabwe in the 1980s. The club also has a proud record at the Hong Kong Sevens tournament, finishing as runner-up to Fiji in 1980, as a semi-finalist against Australia in 1981, and a quarter-finalist in 1986.
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.
Partial list of games played against international opposition
XVs
| Year | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Score | Tour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 14 October |  South African Barbarians
|
Mansfield Park, Hawick | Win | 24 - 4 | Report |
| 1989 | 6 April |  Soviet Students
|
Meggetland Sports Complex, Edinburgh | Win | 17 - 15 | Report |
Sevens
| Year | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Score | Tour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 12 April |  Canada 7s
|
Hong Kong | Win | ||
| 1980 | 12 April |  Australia 7s
|
Hong Kong | Win | ||
| 1980 | 13 April |  New Zealand 7s
|
Hong Kong | Win | ||
| 1980 | 13 April |  Fiji 7s
|
Hong Kong | Loss | 8 - 12 | Report |
| 1981 | 28 March |  Indonesia 7s
|
Hong Kong | Win | 22 - 6 | Report |
| 1981 | 28 March |  Singapore 7s
|
Hong Kong | Win | 22 - 4 | Report |
| 1981 | 29 March | Australia 7s
|
Hong Kong | Loss | 10 - 18 | Report |
| 1986 | 5 April |  Papua New Guinea 7s
|
Hong Kong | Win | 26 - 0 | Report |
| 1986 | 5 April | Canada 7s
|
Hong Kong | Win | 14 - 8 | Report |
| 1986 | 6 April |  French Barbarians
|
Hong Kong | Loss | 10 - 22 | Report |
Honours
- Melrose Sevens
- Champions (1): 1993
- Langholm Sevens
- Champions (1): 1936
- Jed-Forest Sevens
- Champions (1): 1940
- Selkirk Sevens
- Champions (4): 1937, 1938, 1947, 1975
- Edinburgh Charity Sevens
- Champions (2): 1939, 1960
- Edinburgh Borderers Sevens
- Champions (1): 1925
- Glasgow High Kelvinside Sevens
- Champions (1): 1984
References
- ^ "Co-Ops History". Co-Optimist Rugby. 2016. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- ^ "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.
- "The HK 7s history". Fiji Times. 9 April 2016. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- "Edinburgh Charity Sevens". Scottish Sevens tournaments. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- "Edinburgh Borderers Sevens". Scottish Sevens tournaments. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- "Glasgow High Kelvinside Sevens". 26 August 2021.