 | ||
| Full name | Royal High School Former Players Rugby Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Unions | SRU | |
| Founded | 1868 (original club) 2017 (reformed club) | |
| Disbanded | 2003; 22 years ago (2003) (original club) (merged to formCorstorphine RFC) | |
| Ground | Barnton | |
| League | East Division 2 | |
| 2024–25 | East Division 2, 6th of 8 | |
| ||
Royal High School Former Pupils is arugby union club based inEdinburgh,Scotland. Royal HSFP was a founder member of theScottish Rugby Union, the second oldest national governing body in the world.
The original club was disbanded in 2003 when it merged withCorstorphine RFC but the merged clubRoyal High Corstorphine broke back into two clubs in 2017. These new clubs were known asCorstorphine Cougars and Barnton RFC.
Barnton RFC was the start of an attempt to revive the old Royal HSFP side.[1] The club is now known as "Royal High RFC".
TheRoyal High School is a school in Edinburgh with origins traceable to the 12th c at the Abbey of Holyrood, subsequently run by the City of Edinburgh. The school gives its name to High School Yards off Infirmary Street, where it was located before moving to the familiar Thos. Hamilton classical Greek building on Calton Hill at Regent Road which it occupied until July 1968, when it moved to new premises at East Barnton Avenue in the western side of Edinburgh near Davidson's Mains. Coeducation commenced in Sept 1976 and the school remains the Local Authority school for that area to date. The history is documented by Ross in a definitive work, William C. A. Ross, the Royal High School (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1934)
The Royal High School was playing a form of "football" by 1810 (the word "football" here referring to a handling code, rather than one likesoccer).[2] The Royal High played the first inter-school match withMerchiston in 1858.[3]
The Royal High School's rugby club was formed in 1868.[4] These clubs were pioneered by former and attending pupils, who originally played their games together.[5] Among the celebrated student founders of cricket and rugby football at the school were Taverner Knott and Nat Watt, who undertook their labours with the encouragement of Thomson Whyte, reportedly the first master to take a serious interest in sport at the school.[5]
The sporting clubs were formally integrated into the school body when, in 1900, at the request of the club captains, two masters undertook the management of cricket and rugby.
The Royal High School Former Pupils club was formally organised in 1868,[6] and was a founder member of the Scottish Football Union (future SRU) in 1873.
That Act ofCouncil in 1851, which freed our Saturdays, should be held in high esteem by all our athletes, for it is theMagna Carta of ourCricket andFootball Clubs. It rendered possible the formation of a Cricket Club in 1861, to be followed seven years later by a Football Club.[5]
Historically, RHSFP was much stronger, and produced players such asMark Coxon Morrison (sometimes considered the best Scottish captain ever, and a member of theScottish Sports Hall of Fame), and Pringle Fisher.[7]
Mark Morrison was capped 1896, and went to win twenty-three caps.[8]Angus Buchanan of Royal High School FP, was the first person to score a try in international rugby.
Royal HSFP hosted its firstrugby sevens tournament in 1920.[9]
Bill McLaren recalls being chosen for a Scottish XV against the British Army for a game atMurrayfield on 15 February 1947, which contained two RHSFP players: T.P.L. Tom M'Glashan and D.T. McLean.[10] Tom M'Glashan, was being still selected forScotland in 1954, as the front row of a pack which contained three Macs, the others beingHugh McLeod andRobert MacEwen.[11]
The club merged withCorstorphine RFC in 2003 to formRoyal High Corstorphine RFC. However, the merger was short-lasting and the new club itself broke up in 2017.
A new club was formed from the old RHC Cougars side and given associate membership by theScottish Rugby Union. Barnton RFC is an attempt to revive the Royal HSFP club.[1] The club was then rebranded under the similar name "Royal High RFC".[12]
Due to the historic association with the Abbey of Holyrood, the school had the use of two pitches at Holyrood, adjacent to the Place of Holyroodhouse and conveniently situated beneath the school on Regent Road. Five rugby pitches were maintained at Jock's Lodge, where the RHS 'Preparatory Department' was relocated in the 1930s. On relocation to Barnton in 1968, pitches were then available adjacent to the new building. Jock's Lodge is located on the east side of the city, on the opposite side from the school's present location. This put them in competition with Portobello RFC,Musselburgh,Leith andTrinity Academicals for local talent.
The following former Royal HSFP players have representedScotland at full international level.
Alexander Petrie Thomas McGlashanWilliam GibsonRoger DavidsonAlexander Wood Duncan MacLeanJack ParkAngus Buchanan Pringle FisherMark Coxon MorrisonWilliam EmslieWilliam PenmanWilliam FergusonThe following former Royal HSFP players have representedEdinburgh District at provincial level.
James Robertson J. JunorAlexander Petrie M. SandersonAlexander Wood G. F. RaynorAngus BuchananWilliam EmslieThe following former Royal HSFP players have represented the British and Irish Lions.
Former Royal High players have been President of the SRU:
