South of Scotland District (rugby union)


The South is a select rugby union team that draws its players from the South of Scotland, mainly the Scottish Borders where there has always been a proud tradition of rugby union. Historically the South team played matches against touring teams visiting Scotland from abroad, and also competed in the Scottish Inter-District Championship. After rugby union became a professional sport in 1995, the team was replaced in 1996 by the new Border Reivers team based in the same geographical area as the South and who wore the same colours as the old team.
When the professional Border Reivers provincial side folded in 1998, the South amateur district was resurrected and renamed Scottish Borders. The team played as Scottish Borders in three seasons of an amateur Scottish Inter-District Championship from 1999 to 2002.
The professional side Border Reivers was then resurrected in 2002 to play in the new Celtic League. Unfortunately it folded again in 2007.
The South region still plays at age-grade as the Borders side. The region now includes the Scottish Borders and East Lothian. It contributes to the provincial Edinburgh Rugby side.
A senior amateur district South side reformed to play a Northumberland Select side on 30 December 2009.

Early years

The South played Edinburgh District in December 1890 drawing 2 tries a piece.
Borders Rugby has many long and proud traditions. The Border League was the first rugby union league to be set up anywhere in the world, and the South team used to regularly compete against touring sides from the Southern Hemisphere.
Many Borders clubs have helped train and nurture many of Scotland's current internationals.

Touring sides

As many of the Border sides, most notably Melrose, Gala, Hawick, Selkirk and Jed Forest, produced many international players and even Lions, the South proved worthy competition for the touring sides from the Southern Hemisphere. The South twice drew with South African touring sides and twice beat Australian touring teams.
Attendances at 'South' games often numbered well into the thousands and before the onset of professionalism, The South would often play touring national sides, such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa before they played the national side

Scottish Inter-District Championship

The Scottish Inter-District Championship began in season 1953-54.
The South competed in the annual Scottish Inter-District Championship, playing against the district teams of Glasgow District, Edinburgh District, North and Midlands and sometimes Anglo-Scots. The district championship was played in the autumn and provided a level of representative rugby above club competition but below the full Scottish national team. The best performing players were then picked for a large Scotland squad which would form around New Year, ready for the 5 Nations Championship. Often there was a "Red vs Blues" game at Murrayfield to decide the smaller squad.
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The district used to run a Sevens tournament in April.

Effect of professionalism

With the advent of professionalism after 1995, the Scottish Rugby Union realised that not even the best semi-professional Scottish club teams could compete in the new Professional Era in rugby union, which was beginning to gain great momentum in the professional leagues of the Southern Hemisphere and the Northern Hemisphere. In an attempt to stay in touch with the leading nations the Scottish Rugby Union formed four professional teams, that would compete in the Heineken Cup and later a new Celtic League. These teams were based on the 4 former District Unions in Scotland, and a team now known as the Border Reivers began playing games in Galashiels and Hawick, the team wore the traditional white and red stripes, favoured by The South for their home games.
For subsequent history of professional teams representing the South of Scotland, see Border Reivers. However, the Border Reivers were amalgamated with Edinburgh to form the Edinburgh Reivers, who later dropped Reivers and are now known simply as Edinburgh Rugby. The Reivers were resurrected as "The Borders" in 2002, only to be disbanded in 2007.

Amateur revival

The South team itself was revived in December 2009 for a game with Northumberland which the South won 37–3 and in the 2011–12 season beat the Barbarians 22–15 at Hawick.
Renewed hope for a professional rugby team in the Borders came when Sir Moir Lockhead, the Chairman of the SRU, declared in May 2012 that "the Irish model is what we are trying to replicate now". The Irish model has four Provinces, much like the four Districts of Scotland in the early professional years, implying a return for the South/Borders and North/Caledonia.

Honours

The South won the Scottish Inter-District Championship 17 times outright, more than any other District.
In addition, it also shared the Championship with other Districts 10 times.

Season standings

Scottish Inter-District Championship

For the South's professional championship results from 1996 see Border Reivers.
Scottish Inter-District Championship

SeasonPosPldWDLFA+/-BPPtsNotes
1953–542nd32013922+17-4
1954–551st33003514+21-6
1955–564th30121725-8-1
1956–571st=32014614+32-4Shared with Edinburgh
1957–581st=32105523+32-5Shared with Edinburgh
1958–591st=32013713+24-4Shared with Edinburgh
1959–601st=32015822+36-4Shd with North and Midlands & Edinburgh
1960–612nd32015131+20-4
1961–621st=3210309+21-5Shared with Edinburgh
1962–632nd32013219+13-4
1963–641st3300250+25-6
1964–651st=32013223+9-4Shared with Glasgow
1965–661st33003722+15-6
1966–671st32104317+26-5
1967–681st=32015332+21-4Shared with Edinburgh and Glasgow
1968–691st33004927+22-6
1969–701st32104929+20-5
1970–711st33003318+15-6
1971–723rd31025432+22-2
1972–734th31025359-6-2
1973–742nd32015134+17-4
1974–754th31022935-6-0
1975–761st=32015632+24-4Shared with Glasgow and Edinburgh
1976–771st33008428+56-6
1977–781st=32015734+23-4Shared with Glasgow & Edinburgh
1978–791st33006022+38-6
1979–802nd32017828+50-4
1980–811st33008612+74-6
1981–821st=43109352+41-7Shared with Edinburgh
1982–831st44009434+60-8
1983–841st440011430+84-8
1984–851st44009442+52-8
1985–861st44007432+42-8
1986–872nd430112745+82-6
1987–882nd430111532+83-6
1988–892nd43019358+35-6
1989–904th41036084-24-2
1990–911st431010342+61-7
1991–921st2200637+56-4Abbreviated tournament - no winner
1992–931st43016033+27-6
1993–941st22006527+38--
1994–954th41126181-20-3
1995–964th42028082-2-4

Partial list of games played against international opposition