Extracted from the official
history of the Club by Ian Nicholson:
Seventy five
years – A History of Boroughmuir Rugby Football Club
Boroughmuir
Rugby football Club Ltd, 1996
In 1919
Boroughmuir Former Pupils RFC was formed
by a group of founder members, led by John H.W. Hunter , the
first captain of the club. The team played in a strip of
narrow navy and emerald stripes. At this time the club did not
have its own home but did have loads of enthusiasm and was able to
maintain one team 'wandering' around Warriston, Corstorphine
and Murrayfield - the first season 1919/20 was described as “an
adventurous yet enjoyable experience”. The club looked forward with
confidence to the future.
By the end of
1920 a full fixture list had been arranged and playing membership had
risen to over 40 members. Hopes began to form that Meggetland would
provide a permanent home for the club.
In 1924/25
the club adopted a new strip of a navy blue jersey with a broad
emerald green band.
Training was
primitive: now and again members met up in The Meadows where they
trained with the help of street lighting in Melville Drive. Facilities
for changing were
provided by the Captain, D.M.Webster in Lauriston Gardens. The years
leading up to the second World War saw a steady increase in the
numbers of playing and non-playing members. In May 1939 the club was
admitted to full membership of the Scottish Rugby Union. The outbreak
of war caused the SRU to recommend that all club fixtures for the
1939/40 season be cancelled. An effort was made to keep going in some
form and although Meggetland housed an anti-aircraft searchlight
battery and was studded with long poles set in the ground to act as
landing obstacles for aircraft, it remained available for games. Games
were organised and played on an ad hoc basis by D.M. Webster, Ronald
Tait and William Blackie. By 1945, 2200 names of former pupils appeared
on the role of service with 197 names of these killed or died in
service added to the School war memorial. Things returned to normal in
1945 and once again there was the prospect of fielding two XVs.
The aim of
the club in the post-war period was to establish its position within
Scottish rugby. Floodlighting was provided at Meggetland in 1952/53
which made evening training a possibility and by the end of that
season The Scotsman was referring to the first XV as “an
accomplished side”. A year later the name Boroughmuir FP was
included for the first time in the unofficial club championship and
this new status provided the club with a great deal of confidence. In
1954/55 Boroughmuir FP headed the championship table. A breakthrough
had been achieved which gave the opportunity to work for a permanent
place among the leading clubs. By the end of the decade the size of
the crowds had grown - with spectators lined 3 or 4 deep all around the
pitch for important matches.
The beginning
of the 1960s saw such an
increased membership that six XVs could be fielded each week. In
January 1961 Boroughmuir had its first capped player when Ken Ross was
selected to play against South Africa.
September
1970 saw the opening of the new clubhouse at Meggetland, giving the
club a new identity and the opportunity to hold social functions. The
club was now established as an open club but playing and non-playing
membership remained settled and the club was able to field six teams
every week.
1972 saw
major changes in competitive rugby – at the SRU that year
arrangements were made for National Leagues. The Club Championship
would comprise of 4 divisions of 12 clubs and a fifth division in 2
geographical sections – east and west and come into effect
at the start of the 1973/74 season. Boroughmuir were originally
placed in division 2 but took up the SRU’s invitation to comment on
the initial placing and after some persuasive advocacy, Boroughmuir
were placed in division 1. Boroughmuir embarked upon the last
“Unofficial” Club Championship in 1972/73 and won. In the first
season of the National Leagues, Boroughmuir finished the season
mid-table, 7th out of 12.
In 1974 Bill
Watson became the club’s second Internationalist, playing against
Wales in Cardiff on 19th January.
The “FP”
in the club’s name was dropped at a special General Meeting in March
1974 making the club more inclusive to non FP members but not severing
the club’s association with Boroughmuir School8.
1975 saw
continued International success for the club as Bruce Hay was selected
for the Scotland team meeting the All Blacks in New Zealand. The
following season, 1976/77 saw twelve Boroughmuir players selected to
play for the Edinburgh XVs and Bruce Hay selected to tour New Zealand
with the British Lions. Before the end of the decade, Ducan Wilson,
Brian Halliday and Norrie Rowan would all be capped. The 1970s also
saw success for Boroughmuir in sevens competition: Langholm sevens
winners in 1975: Edinburgh and Melrose sevens winners in 1976; Hawick
sevens winners in 1978; Langholm sevens winners in 1978; and the 1980
sevens squad winning at Royal High, Haddington, Lismore and Peebles. A
barren period followed until success in the Hawick sevens of 1987.
In 1980 a
development sub-committee was formed to arrange and supervise
construction work at Meggetland with the building of the stand,
changing rooms and terracing and levelling the pitch. By 1984 a “new
Meggetland” and Boroughmuir was no longer the butt of
after-dinner jokes. New floodlighting, not included in the original plan
was added in 1986 as the direct result of Norrie Rowan’s initiative
and practical assistance.
The late
1980s were a time of considerable changes of personnel and the arrival
of many new faces with the success of two young props Grant Wilson and
Peter Wright forcing the selection committee to come down on the side
of youth and the arrival of All Black trialist Sean Lineen, who
brought a change of fortune to the club.
Boroughmuir
ended the 1990/91 season as Scottish Club Champions. It was only the 2nd
time that the title had left the Borders in 18 years. In 1992,
Boroughmuir beat Currie 37-9 to win the Alloa Brewery Cup for the
first time.
Sadly,
Boroughmuir were relegated for the first time on the last day of the
1998/99 season. The 1999/2000 season saw us
promoted back to Premier One as Champions of Premier Two.
In
recent years we have won the BT Cellnet Cup three times, the BT Scotland
Premiership Division 1 title and the prestigious Melrose 7s
tournament.
