Student Article

On March 27, 1871, in Edinburgh, Scotland, two teams made sports history.

The first international rugby match

That afternoon, Scotland and England played the first-ever international rugby match. While the average citizen went about their daily routine, a few thousand people gathered at Raeburn Place, home of the Academical Cricket Club, to witness something completely new in sport. Entrance cost a single shilling, and by 3:00 p.m., 40 players — 20 on each side — lined up to begin what would become a lasting international rivalry.

The teams and the challenge

The idea of international fixtures had been discussed before. In 1870, a Scottish team made up of exiles had played an English team in London, but under soccer rules, which weren’t very popular in Scotland. When English clubs met to formalize rugby rules in January 1871, Scottish clubs took it further — challenging England to a match under rugby rules, in either Edinburgh or Glasgow. The Rugby Football Union didn’t officially respond, but Blackheath, a leading English club, accepted. So the match was on.

Rugby points and jerseys

To today’s fans, rugby in the 1870s would seem chaotic. A try didn’t count for any points unless it led to a successful kick at goal. Penalties weren’t even part of the game — gentlemen were expected to play fair. The teams wore distinct uniforms: the English in white jerseys with red roses, and the Scots in brown jerseys with thistles.

England’s tough journey and Scotland’s comeback

Players had little preparation. The English squad arrived after an uncomfortable overnight train ride, sleeping on wooden floors in third-class carriages they paid for themselves. England's team was larger and physically stronger, but that didn’t guarantee success. After 50 minutes, they still hadn’t scored. After half-time, Scotland took over.

A controversial try and Scotland’s victory

The turning point was a controversial Scottish try. English players argued that the ball had been fumbled — a foul by English rules but not by Scottish ones. The umpire, Dr. H.H. Almond, hadn’t seen the play clearly due to the crowd’s interference but still awarded the score to Scotland, saying, “When an umpire is in doubt, he is justified in deciding against the side which makes the most noise.”

A historic victory for Scotland

Scotland won, scoring one goal and two tries, while England managed only one try. The victory stirred pride across the country. The match ball was displayed in a shop window as a symbol of Scottish spirit. The event didn’t just start a sporting rivalry — it added to the growing conversation around Scottish identity and national pride, especially as discussions around home rule grew stronger.

© Dominic Sandbrook / www.historyextra.com