Scottish Rugby Union SRU

The Scottish Football Union was founded in 1873, ahead of a change to fifteen-a-side (from twenty-a-side) in 1877, the formation of the International Rugby Football Board in 1886 and the instigation of a points scoring system for rugby in 1889. In 1924 the SFU changed its name to become the Scottish Rugby Union.

The very first rugby international match was played at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, on Monday, 27 March 1871, on the cricket field of The Edinburgh Academy. The first nine international matches in Scotland were all played on established cricket fields. A temporary stand was erected at Raeburn place at a cost of £45.

In 1897, the Scottish Football Union, as it was then called, bought land at Inverleith. This was the home of rugby in Scotland until the first Murrayfield Stadium was built in 1925, on ground bought from the Edinburgh Polo Club.

The Calcutta Cup is an ornate silver trophy in memory of the Calcutta Football Club, which closed down just four years after it was formed. Scotland and England compete for the cup each year. The first Calcutta Cup match was played at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, on 10 March 1879 and ended in a draw – Scotland scored a drop goal and England a goal. Scotland and England have contested the Calcutta Cup every year since then, except during the two World Wars.

Scottish Rugby is the governing body for rugby union in Scotland. Our role is to grow the game and inspire Scotland through rugby in line with our values of respect, leadership, achievement, engagement and enjoyment.

The team are based at BT Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh and administer Scotland’s international rugby teams, the country’s two professional clubs (Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors) as well as the domestic fixtures for clubs and schools across Scotland.