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The first international rugby union game was played at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh in 1871 between England and Scotland. It was won by the latter. See the SRU Library for details.
Past Players (Hall of Fame)
Some of the most famous former Scottish players since 1945: Andy Irvine, Gavin Hastings, Scott Hastings, David Johnston, Bill Gammell, Finlay Calder, Jim Calder, Jim Aitken, Craig Chalmers, Keith Roberston, Iain Milne ('The Bear'), Lewis Dick, Gary Armstrong, Gregor Townsend, Doddie Weir, Gordon Brown ('Broon frae Troon'), Peter Brown, John Jeffrey ('The Great White Shark'), Jim Renwick, John Rutherford, Roy Laidlaw, David Leslie, David Sole, John Leslie, Alastair McHarg, Colin Deans, Ian Macloughlan ('Mighty Mouse'), Kenny Logan...
Notable coaches (also players): Jim Telfer, Ian ('Geech') McGeechan
Best Records
Best Rugby Union World Cup placing so far: Semi-finals 1991
Rugby Union Five Nations Championship Grand Slams: 1925, 1984, 1990. Scotland was also the last Five Nations Champion in 1998-99. (The following year Italy joined the competition to make it the Six Nations.)
The Present
Current top players (2004) include: Tom Smith (prop), Scott Murray (lock), Chris ('Mossy') Paterson (fly half/full back), Simon Taylor (no.8), Chris Cusiter (scrum half), Mike Blair (scrum half), Simon Danielli (wing).
After a poor start in the Six Nations 2003-04 in which Scotland did not win a single match, things are steadily improving under the Australian coach Matt Williams, the first foreigner to coach the national team. Many new and talented players are coming through to the top level. Meanwhile the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) is under new management and Chief Executive Phil Anderton is leading the way back to financial solvency and implementing major reforms to reverse the decline of the game in Scotland.
External links
Scottish Rugby Strategic Review (Interim Update) 30 May 2004
Guide to Scottish Rugby (The Scotsman)
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