Summary
The Scottish Varsity, also known as The Royal Bank of Scotland Scottish Varsity Match due to sponsorship reasons, is an annual rugby union fixture between the University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. The universities are both founders of the Scottish Rugby Union and varsity fixtures have been held since the 1860s, laying claim to the title of the "world's oldest varsity match".[1]
| The Scottish Varsity | |
| Contested by | |
| St Andrews RFC | Edinburgh RFC |
| First varsity match | 1860s |
| Annual event since | 2011 (resurrected) |
| Current champion | Edinburgh, 32-29 (2023) |
| Location | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh |
| Current sponsor | Royal Bank of Scotland |
| Trophy | The Scottish Varsity Cup |
| Website | scottishvarsitymatch |
The Scottish Varsity was resurrected in 2011 after a hiatus of over 50 years and was staged in London at the home of London Scottish RFC in order to build alumni relations.[2] In 2015, the match returned to Scotland in Murrayfield Stadium and drew a crowd of over 10,000 spectators.[3] In 2021, the match was played at University Park, the home of University of St Andrews RFC, due to Covid-19 pandemic crowd restrictions. The match is normally held in late September and has received coverage from Sky Sports, the BBC and IRB’s Total Rugby.[4]
Men's Results edit
Varsity matches were initially held on St. Andrew's Day but have been moved earlier to late September, they have attracted notable attendees including her Royal Highness Princess Anne in 2012.[5]
| No. | Date | Venue | Score | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 November 2011 | Richmond Athletic Ground, London | 32 – 0 | Edinburgh |
| 2 | 30 November 2012 | Richmond Athletic Ground, London | 28 – 8 | Edinburgh |
| 3 | 28 September 2013 | Richmond Athletic Ground, London | 24 – 15 | St Andrews |
| 4 | 27 September 2014 | Richmond Athletic Ground, London | 17 – 12 | St Andrews |
| 5 | 26 September 2015 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 27 – 26 | St Andrews |
| 6 | 24 September 2016 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 24 – 12 | St Andrews |
| 7 | 23 September 2017 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 31 – 7 | Edinburgh |
| 8 | 22 September 2018 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 26 – 15 | Edinburgh |
| 9 | 21 September 2019 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 62 – 0 | Edinburgh |
| 10 | 25 September 2021 | University Park, St Andrews | 18 – 5 | St Andrews |
| 11 | 24 September 2022 | Peffermill, Edinburgh | 24 – 14 | St Andrews |
| 12 | 23 September 2023 | University Park, St Andrews | 32 - 29 | Edinburgh |
By total wins (Men's) edit
| Total matches | St Andrews victories | Edinburgh victories | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 6 | 6 | 0
|
Women's Results edit
In 2014, the inaugural Women's Varsity Match took place in the form of a 7-a-side match. It now continues to take place every year as a 15-a-side match. [6]
| No. | Date | Venue | Score | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 September 2014 | Richmond Athletic Ground, London | 24 – 0 | Edinburgh |
| 2 | 26 September 2015 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 36 – 7 | Edinburgh |
| 3 | 24 September 2016 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 97 – 0 | Edinburgh |
| 4 | 23 September 2017 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 53 – 5 | Edinburgh |
| 5 | 22 September 2018 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 49 – 0 | Edinburgh |
| 6 | 21 September 2019 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 52 – 0 | Edinburgh |
By total wins (Women's) edit
| Total matches | St Andrews victories | Edinburgh victories | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Varsity match is coming home". Scottish Rugby News. 19 May 2015.
- ^ "A Renewed Rivalry". The University of Edinburgh. 26 August 2015.
- ^ "Students set for Varsity encounters at BT Murrayfield". Edinburgh Evening News. 25 September 2015.
- ^ "The Scottish Varsity Match". Saints Rugby.
- ^ "Scottish Varsity Match". University of St Andrews: Saints Sports.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "The Royal Bank of Scotland Scottish Rugby Varsity Match | HISTORY". www.scottishvarsitymatch.com. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
External links edit
- University of St Andrews: Saints Rugby
- University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh University RFC