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| Full name | Merchistonian Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Union | SRU | |
| Founded | 1860; 165 years ago (1860)[1] | |
| Location | Edinburgh, Scotland | |
| ||
Merchistonian Football Club is arugby football team based inEdinburgh,Scotland. It was for former pupils ofMerchiston Castle School. It is believed the club was established in 1860.[1]
Merchistonian was a founding member of theScottish Rugby Union and one of the five Scottish clubs to issue the challenge to English football players that resulted in thefirst rugby international. The club supplied three players for the matchAndrew Galbraith Colville,George Ritchie and the scorer of the match's only goal (conversion)William Cross. Cross also scored one of Scotland's two tries to England's one however, at the time, tries did not result in points merely a 'try' at scoring a goal and Scotland won the match 1–0.[2][3][4]
However, asAllan Massie notes, because it was a boarding school, unlike some of the other private schools in Edinburgh, a lot of the former pupils would disperse and go out of the city. Those that remained in the city would often play forEdinburgh Wanderers.[5]
In 2013, the Merchistonian Club (the School's former pupil society) revived the rugby team under the name "Merchistonian Rugby Football Club" (Merchistonian RFC). The side played its first match against traditional rivalEdinburgh Academical with both sides fielding a strictly former pupil team (rather than Accies open first XV) atRaeburn Place on 29 March, losing 31–20. The intent was to play this fixture on an annual basis.
Merchistonian RFC also competed in a number ofsevens competitions and the Edinburgh 10s in 2014.[6][7][8][9]
In 2017, the Scottish Rugby Union board granted the Merchistonian RFC its historic status of being a Football Club (FC) instead of a Rugby Football Club (RFC). Historically rugby clubs were also known asfootball clubs so once again the rugby club is named the 'Merchistonian Football Club' (MFC).[10]
The following former Merchiston F.C. players have representedScotland at full international level.
The following former Merchiston F.C. players have representedEdinburgh District at provincial level.
The following former Merchiston F.C. players have represented the British and Irish Lions.
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