102-592: Edinburgh Rugby (formerly Edinburgh Reivers , Edinburgh Gunners ) is one of the two professional rugby union teams from Scotland . The club competes in the United Rugby Championship , along with the Glasgow Warriors , its oldest rival. Edinburgh plays the majority of its home games at Edinburgh Rugby Stadium . The original Edinburgh District team played the first ever inter-district match against Glasgow District in 1872, winning
204-570: A British Isles team visited Australia and New Zealand—although a private venture, it laid the foundations for future British and Irish Lions tours; and the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team brought the first overseas team to British spectators. During the early history of rugby union, a time before commercial air travel, teams from different continents rarely met. The first two notable tours both took place in 1888—the British Isles team touring New Zealand and Australia, followed by
306-497: A haka before each match, leading Welsh Rugby Union administrator Tom Williams to suggest that Wales player Teddy Morgan lead the crowd in singing the Welsh National Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau , as a response. After Morgan began singing, the crowd joined in: the first time a national anthem was sung at the start of a sporting event. In 1905 France played England in its first international match. Rugby union
408-589: A frustrating season, Edinburgh announced the immediate departure of head coach Richard Cockerill by "mutual consent" in July 2021 with Mike Blair (who was at the time part of the Scotland International set up) announced as the new head coach later that month. Blair's appointment coincided with new signings including Scotland international James Lang , South African Henry Immelman and Argentine utility back Emiliano Boffelli . Blair's appointment also saw
510-594: A limited number of games, and Cambridge and Oxford continued their annual University Match . The first officially sanctioned international rugby sevens tournament took place in 1973 at Murrayfield, one of Scotland's biggest stadiums, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union centenary celebrations. In 1987, the first Rugby World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, and the inaugural winners were New Zealand. The first World Cup Sevens tournament
612-415: A lineout throw is generally awarded to the opposition at the spot on the sideline where they left the field. Exceptions include a kick out "on the full" (i.e. the ball did not land in the field-of-play before going into touch) in which case the lineout would still take place on the sideline but back in line with where the ball was kicked, or when a team takes a free kick from a penalty where they would retain
714-492: A new coach after the departure of Frank Hadden to coach Scotland . Sean Lineen , then Glasgow Warriors assistant coach, was linked with the post before Todd Blackadder acquired the position for the season after a spell as interim coach. During the same season the team nickname was incorporated into the official name, which became the Edinburgh Gunners . The "Gunners" moniker was dropped on 29 September 2006, after
816-648: A new competition which would bring in the four Irish provinces. 2001 saw the first incarnation of the Celtic League . In that inaugural season Edinburgh finished in sixth place. The following season, to coincide with the re-establishment of the Border Reivers , a Scottish League competition modelled on the Tri-Nations was introduced alongside the Celtic League, however this survived for only
918-746: A place in the 2025–26 European Challenge Cup Yellow background indicates the team that won the 2024–25 European Challenge Cup and thus qualify for the 2025–26 European Champions Cup, but are not in a play-off place Plain background indicates teams that earn a place in the 2025–26 European Challenge Cup. Q : qualified for play-offs. H : home field advantage secured for quarter-and semi-final. h ; home field advantage secured for quarter-final X : cannot reach play-offs. E : qualified for Champions Cup. Props Hookers Locks Back row Scrum-halves Fly-halves Centres Rugby union Rugby union football , commonly known simply as rugby union or often just rugby ,
1020-534: A preferred or standard 68 metre width, this is often used unless a ground has been specifically designed to accommodate a 70-metre rugby field. 100 metres is the typical length, with a line (see below) often marked at halfway with "50" on it, representing 50 metres from each goal line. The variations have been allowed in the Laws, possibly to accommodate older grounds (perhaps even pre-metrification when yards and feet were specified) and developing nations. The field of play
1122-646: A seat on the new company board and continue to provide development funding and support to the new owners. Following the departure of Todd Blackadder to join the Crusaders coaching setup in Super Rugby , Lynn Howells was appointed as head coach by Edinburgh's new executive chairman, Alex Carruthers. In July 2007, a dispute arose between the Scottish Rugby Union and the owners of the newly franchised Edinburgh team. According to owner Bob Carruthers
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#17327919871741224-527: A single season, Edinburgh becoming the only champions. Following the reduction of Scotland's professional structure from four to two sides, a further rebranding took place. The Edinburgh Reivers name was replaced by Edinburgh Rugby , with the Glasgow Caledonians undergoing a similar renaming process, as part of a "major revamp" of the professional structure in Scotland. In the 2003–04 season
1326-470: A successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points. The values of each of these scoring methods have been changed over the years. According to World Rugby's Laws of the Game, a typical rugby ground, formally known as the "playing enclosure", is formed by two major zones: The referee (and their assistants) generally have full authority and responsibility for all players and other officials inside
1428-559: A tour of Ireland. Ironically Hadden came close to playing football , with trials with both Queens Park Rangers and Forfar Athletic , as well as being offered a contract by Raith Rovers . In 1983, Hadden was appointed Head of physical education and director of rugby at Merchiston Castle School (MCS) in Edinburgh . Hadden helped turn the school's 1st XV into a dominant force in Scottish schools rugby. During one four-year period at
1530-538: Is Chatswood Oval in Sydney, Australia, an elliptically shaped cricket ground which is the home of Gordon rugby club, that has curved dead-ball lines to maximise the available in-goal space. Where multiple sports share a field (e.g. a rugby league and a rugby union club sharing one field), lines may be overlaid on top of each other, sometimes in different colours. However, particularly for television, rugby union line markings are generally painted white. Some exceptions include
1632-457: Is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends. Rugby union is a popular sport around
1734-408: Is considered "out-of-bounds" for the ball and the players, normally resulting in the non-infringing team receiving possession of the ball at a restart. The perimeter area can be divided into two areas: For the purposes of determining if a ball is "out-of-bounds" (i.e. has left the playing area), the perimeter area extends indefinitely away from the playing area. When a ball or player goes into touch,
1836-445: Is divided by a solid "halfway" line, drawn perpendicular to the sidelines at their midpoint. A 0.5m line is marked perpendicular to the halfway lines at its midpoint, designating the spot where the kickoffs shall be taken. The areas between each goal line and the halfway line are known as "halves" as in other football codes. A pair of solid lines are also drawn perpendicular to the sidelines, 22 metres (formerly 25 yards) from each end of
1938-440: Is the third and final row of the forward positions, who are often referred to as the loose forwards. The three positions in the back row are the two flankers and the number 8 . The two flanker positions, known as the blindside flanker and openside flanker, are the final row in the scrum. They are usually the most mobile forwards in the game. Their main role is to win possession through 'turn overs'. The number 8 packs down between
2040-422: The 1872 Challenge Cup on aggregate to rivals Glasgow Warriors. On 26 December 2008, a new home record attendance of 12,534 saw the game against Glasgow Warriors. In the 2008–09 season Edinburgh reached their highest position finishing in second place behind Munster . Andy Robinson left in 2009 to take up the position of head coach of the Scottish national side. Rob Moffat took over at Edinburgh. Michael Bradley
2142-651: The 2006 Six Nations and again winning the Calcutta Cup against England in the 2008 Six Nations . He parted company with the national side on 2 April 2009 after a second consecutive disappointing Six Nations where they finished second bottom after winning just one match. Born in Dundee , Hadden was educated at the High School of Dundee and the University of Strathclyde , playing rugby for both. He attended
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#17327919871742244-656: The British & Irish Lions in South Africa , with each one becoming a Test Lion in the first test match of the series, a 17–22 win for the Lions against the Springboks . However, in July 2021, Cockerill left Edinburgh by mutual consent. Former Scotland captain and Lions scrum-half Mike Blair has been appointed as the head coach for the 2021–22 season, Edinburgh's first in the new United Rugby Championship . Following
2346-885: The Bunnings NPC in New Zealand, the League One in Japan and the Currie Cup in South Africa. Other transnational club competitions include the United Rugby Championship of club teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, European Rugby Champions Cup in Europe, and Super Rugby in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Primitive forms of football included harpastum , played by
2448-596: The Carnegie School of Physical Education in Leeds (now Leeds Metropolitan University) to pursue a teaching career. While teaching at Guiseley School , he played rugby union for Headingley . He occasionally played in their 1st XV when the incumbent fly half, Ian McGeechan (who later became coach of Scotland and the British and Irish Lions ) was away on international playing duty. Hadden also spent his youth playing for Dundee HSFP , with his last match in 1987 on
2550-562: The Merchiston Castle School 1st XV after being appointed Head of Physical Education at the school in 1983. He coached several Scottish age-group teams before being appointed assistant coach of the Caledonian Reds in 1997. He was later appointed coach of Edinburgh Gunners (now Edinburgh Rugby) in 2000 prior to becoming the Scotland coach. He has since coached Scotland to notable wins over England and France in
2652-456: The 1830s, "running in" with the ball in hand was allowed but subject to hacking and "collaring". Former Rugby School student Albert Pell is credited with having formed the first "football" team while a student at Cambridge University . Major private schools each used different rules during this early period, with former pupils from Rugby and Eton attempting to carry their preferred rules through to their universities. A significant event in
2754-557: The 1999 and 2000 seasons the Scottish Rugby Union and Welsh Rugby Union joined forces, with the expansion of the Welsh Premier Division to include Edinburgh Reivers and Glasgow Caledonians , under the name Welsh-Scottish League . However, further change was imminent and in 2001 an agreement was made between the Irish Rugby Football Union , Scottish Rugby Union and Welsh Rugby Union to create
2856-629: The 2011–12 season. Alan Solomons , formerly the coach of Western Province , Stormers , Ulster and more recently Super Rugby team the Kings , was appointed as head coach at the end of July 2013. Stevie Scott and Omar Mouneimne were appointed as assistant coaches. Solomons' first season at the club was treated largely as a rebuilding period, with several players departing and replacements coming in. The league campaign culminated in an eighth-place finish. 2014–15 saw Edinburgh again finishing eighth, albeit with ten points and three victories more than
2958-526: The District prior to professionalism, see: Following the introduction of professional rugby in 1995, the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) considered that Scottish club sides would not be able to compete against the best teams from France and England. The SRU therefore decided that the four district teams were to be Scotland's vehicle for professional rugby and in 1996 the Edinburgh District team
3060-573: The Heineken Cup, posting wins against Leinster and Leicester Tigers and a narrow loss to Toulouse , earning a bonus point. Following disappointing performances by Scotland in the 6 Nations, and Robinson co-coaching Scotland A, there were rumours of Robinson taking a post within the Scotland set-up after helping Edinburgh to climb to 3rd in the Celtic League. This progress, however, was counter-pointed by some disappointing results including being shut out by Cardiff Blues at Murrayfield and losing
3162-513: The Laws: Generally, points where the dashed lines intersect other lines will be marked with a "T" or cross shape, although the extensions of dashed lines are generally not drawn within 5 metres of the goal lines or sidelines, to allow a clear demarcation of the field of play's boundaries. The Laws require the playing area to be rectangular in shape, however variations may be permitted with the approval of relevant unions. A notable example
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3264-820: The New Zealand team touring Europe. Traditionally the most prestigious tours were the Southern Hemisphere countries of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa making a tour of a Northern Hemisphere, and the return tours made by a joint British and Irish team. Tours would last for months, due to long traveling times and the number of games undertaken; the 1888 New Zealand team began their tour in Hawkes Bay in June and did not complete their schedule until August 1889, having played 107 rugby matches. Touring international sides would play Test matches against international opponents, including national, club and county sides in
3366-519: The Pro12 against Cardiff, Zebre, Connacht and the Ospreys. Edinburgh Rugby accumulated seven losing bonus points in this period highlighting the need for minor adjustments to change the sides fortunes on the pitch. In the remaining five matches on the season Edinburgh won three, recording victories against Ulster, Zebre and Gwent Dragons to finish the season in 10th place in the Pro12 one place higher than
3468-476: The Romans, where two opposing teams competed to throw a large ball into an opposition net, fighting for possession of the ball. Medieval Irishmen played caid , carrying an inflated bladder and using arched trees as goals. The Welsh played an inter-parish game using a wooden ball called cnapan . Frenchmen played soule and Georgians played lelo. "Football" as a game was well established by 1803 at Rugby School and by
3570-473: The SRU owed Edinburgh a six-figure sum which, he said, had not been paid. Carruthers also claimed that SRU had threatened to withdraw funding should Edinburgh continue with legal action relating to the sum. During the dispute, Alex Carruthers resigned along with then managing director Graeme Stirling. The dispute caused much disruption in Scottish rugby at the time, leading to the temporary withdrawal of 12 players from
3672-432: The SRU was unable to honour the terms of the agreement. This was seen as a disappointment, because the signing had been considered a coup for the beleaguered SRU when it was initially announced. Following an application process, it was announced on 1 October 2007 that Andy Robinson , the former England head coach, would become the club's new head coach. Edinburgh showed progress under Robinson and performed well at home in
3774-434: The Scotland squad training for the 2007 Rugby World Cup . This included leading players such as Chris Paterson and Mike Blair The dispute escalated when, on 9 July 2007, Edinburgh revoked its associate membership of the SRU. This led to doubts about Edinburgh Rugby's ability to fulfil fixtures in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup and, whether or not Edinburgh players were insured for playing at club level. The resignation
3876-537: The United States , Canada and Eastern Europe , its growth occurring during the expansion of the British Empire and through French proponents ( Rugby Europe ) in Europe. Countries that have adopted rugby union as their de facto national sport include Fiji , Georgia, Madagascar , New Zealand, Samoa , Tonga , and Wales . International matches have taken place since 1871 when the first game
3978-480: The Wallabies (Australia's national team) who often have yellow markings. Local clubs may use black, yellow, or other colours on grass, with other surfaces possibly requiring different marking techniques. Unlike association football, where on-field advertising is strictly forbidden in the laws, World Rugby allows sponsors logos to be painted on the playing surface. This is another way in which clubs can make money in
4080-537: The additions of W. P. Nel , John Yapp , Richie Rees , Dimitri Basilaia , Ben Atiga , Greig Tonks , Izak van der Westhuizen , and Andy Titterrell . These arrivals were however tempered by the loss of several experienced internationals, Mike Blair , Chris Paterson , Jim Thompson , Alan MacDonald , Esteban Lozada and Phil Godman among them. However, after another poor start to the Pro12 League, Edinburgh were then beaten 0–45 by Saracens at Murrayfield in
4182-431: The backs and the forwards is that the backs are expected to have superior kicking and ball-handling skills, especially the fly-half, scrum-half, and full-back. The half-backs consist of two positions, the scrum-half and the fly-half , also known in the Southern Hemisphere as half-back and first five-eighth respectively. The fly-half is crucial to a team's game plan, orchestrating the team's performance. They are usually
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4284-422: The ball is kicked into touch by a player who had at least one foot on or behind their own 22-metre line, the line-out formed at the spot where the ball crossed the touch-line instead of being taken in line with the spot from where it was kicked. Additional broken or dashed lines (of 5 metre dash lengths, according to the Laws ) are drawn in each half or on each side of, the field, each with specific purposes under
4386-417: The ball. Forwards play a vital role in tackling and rucking opposing players. Players in these positions are generally bigger and stronger and take part in the scrum and line-out. The forwards are often collectively referred to as the 'pack', especially when in the scrum formation. The front row consists of three players: two props (the loosehead prop and the tighthead prop) and the hooker . The role of
4488-486: The capacity of technical coach. However, when the Scottish Rugby Union was forced to merge the Caledonian Reds with the Glasgow Warriors during budget cut-backs, Hadden returned to teaching at Merchiston. While coaching the 1st XV he took them on to win The Scottish Schools Cup on a number of occasions. Along with rugby he was also an athletics coach at the school. In 2000 a player revolt led to
4590-591: The case of Northern Hemisphere rugby, or provincial/state sides in the case of Southern Hemisphere rugby. Between 1905 and 1908, all three major Southern Hemisphere rugby countries sent their first touring teams to the Northern Hemisphere: New Zealand in 1905, followed by South Africa in 1906 and Australia in 1908. All three teams brought new styles of play, fitness levels and tactics, and were far more successful than critics had expected. The New Zealand 1905 touring team performed
4692-584: The club and Jones, Brown, Scott, Gilchrist, McInally and Denton were destined for international honours. Domestically the season was not a success, with only 6 league wins out of 22 games, but the 2011–12 Heineken Cup campaign proved to be the most successful in the club's history when it topped Pool 2, including a remarkable home victory against Racing Métro by 48–47 and setting up a quarter final against French rugby giants Toulouse by scoring four tries against London Irish . The game against Toulouse in April 2012,
4794-411: The club had become Scottish rugby's first private franchise during the summer. The team name reverted to Edinburgh Rugby . One reason for the change was that the name The Gunners was already a registered Trademark of Arsenal Football Club . Another reason was the wish of the new owners for a re-branding, including a different name and the introduction of a new logo. In 2006, it was announced that from
4896-588: The clubs that had favoured the Rugby Rules formed the Rugby Football Union in 1871, and their code became known as " rugby football ". In 1895, there was a major schism within rugby football in England in which numerous clubs from Northern England resigned from the RFU over the issue of reimbursing players for time lost from their workplaces. The split highlighted the social and class divisions in
4998-492: The defence until the end of the season. However, in a surprise move just a month later on 6 March 2013 Edinburgh announced that both Bradley and forwards coach Neil Back were being removed with immediate effect and coaches Stevie Scott and Duncan Hodge would take over until the end of the season. In his final year to early March 2013 the Club lost all six matches in the Heineken Cup and recorded four league victories all season in
5100-556: The departure of longtime attack coach Duncan Hodge. Blair's first game in charge was a 10-26 pre-season friendly loss to Newcastle Falcons; their first game in the new Edinburgh Rugby Stadium (since renamed the DAM Health Stadium for sponsorship reasons). Edinburgh made a good start to their first United Rugby Championship campaign and also the European Challenge Cup, where they beat Saracens 18–21 away in
5202-522: The direct control of the SRU. Following the return to SRU control, the club coach Lynn Howells was dismissed. The SRU's Head of Player Development was appointed interim coach and Nic Cartwright was appointed as chief executive. Former British & Irish Lions captain Gavin Hastings was subsequently appointed as chairman, stating his "desire and passion to see this game and this club grow". The proposed signing of Stephen Larkham fell through after
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#17327919871745304-496: The early development of rugby football was the production of a written set of rules at Rugby School in 1845, followed by the Cambridge Rules that were drawn up in 1848. Formed in 1863, the national governing body The Football Association (FA) began codifying a set of universal football rules. These new rules specifically banned players from running with the ball in hand and also disallowed hacking (kicking players in
5406-408: The end of the 2005–06 season, Edinburgh would become a franchise. Finance would come from a private company headed by businessmen Alex and Bob Carruthers. This was thought to be a saving grace for Border Reivers . The team was thought to be the favourite to be folded, after the Scottish Rugby Union warned that funding problems could force it to scrap one of its Celtic League sides. The SRU was to retain
5508-486: The field are divided into eight forwards (two more than in rugby league ) and seven backs . There are typically significantly more forwards on the bench than backs with, for example, South Africa having a 7-1 split in favour of forwards in their August 2023 match against New Zealand in Twickenham. A 6-2 or 5-3 split is more common. The main responsibilities of the forward players are to gain and retain possession of
5610-401: The field of play and called the 22-metre lines, or "22"s. An area at each end, also known as the "22", is bounded by, but does not include, the sidelines, goal line and 22-metre line. In this area, a defensive player who cleanly catches a ball kicked by the other team, without the ball having already touched the ground after the kick, is entitled to claim a free kick, or " mark ". Additionally, if
5712-442: The field to accommodate fitter and faster (or heavier) players. Fixed cameras on tripods and advertising hoardings are often the main culprits for injuring players in the perimeter area. Frank Hadden Frank Hadden (born 14 June 1954) is a Scottish rugby union coach. He is a former head coach of Scotland and Edinburgh Rugby . Hadden replaced Matt Williams and was appointed on 15 September 2005. Hadden coached
5814-537: The first Scottish team to reach the quarter-finals. In the 2014–15 season, Edinburgh became the first Scottish club to reach a major European final, when they met Gloucester Rugby in the European Rugby Challenge Cup showpiece at Twickenham Stoop in London. Edinburgh District played in the world's first ever inter-district match, against Glasgow District , in 1872. For the history of
5916-420: The first laws were written by pupils at Rugby School; other significant events in the early development of rugby include the decision by Blackheath F.C. to leave The Football Association in 1863 and, in 1895, the split between rugby union and rugby league . Historically rugby union was an amateur sport, but in 1995 formal restrictions on payments to players were removed, making the game openly professional at
6018-530: The first round of Heineken Cup matches. This was followed by another high-scoring defeat when the team lost 33–0 to Munster Rugby at Thomond Park . Following increasingly disappointing results and performances in the Pro12 league it was announced in February 2013 that Edinburgh would not be renewing Bradley's contract at the end of the season along with defence coach Billy McGinty. McGinty chose to leave his position with immediate effect with Bradley overseeing
6120-423: The first round. In February 2023, Blair announced he would step down as head coach at the conclusion of the 2022/23 season Sean Everitt was recruited in July 2023 as a 'Senior Coach' to replace Blair for the 2023/24 season. Everitt signed a 2-year extension at the beginning of 2024 to remain at the club until June 2026 becoming Head Coach in the process. Edinburgh Rugby have played at a number of grounds over
6222-425: The first to receive the ball from the scrum-half following a breakdown, lineout, or scrum, and need to be decisive with what actions to take and be effective at communicating with the outside backs. Many fly-halves are also their team's goal kickers. The scrum-half is the link between the forwards and the backs. They receive the ball from the lineout and remove the ball from the back of the scrum, usually passing it to
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#17327919871746324-537: The fly-half. They also feed the scrum and sometimes have to act as a fourth loose forward. There are four three quarter positions: two centres (inside and outside) and two wings (left and right). In the Southern Hemisphere, the inside centre is commonly referred to as the second five-eighth, while the outside centre is simply known as the centre. The centres will attempt to tackle attacking players; whilst in attack, they should employ speed and strength to breach opposition defences. The wings are generally positioned on
6426-928: The following season. Cockerill led the team to the play-offs of the 2017–18 Pro14 season, the first time the club have qualified for the end-of-season series since its introduction. Their season ended following a tight away defeat to Munster . During his tenure, several Edinburgh players have made their international debuts for Scotland, including props Simon Berghan , Darryl Marfo and Murray McCallum , lock Lewis Carmichael , wing Darcy Graham , full-back Blair Kinghorn , hooker Dave Cherry , flankers Luke Hamilton and Jamie Ritchie , and former Edinburgh players Phil Burleigh , Cornell du Preez and George Turner , flanker Luke Crosbie , centres Chris Dean and James Johnstone , and scrum-halves Nathan Fowles , Sean Kennedy and Charlie Shiel were named in Scotland squads. In addition, wing Duhan van der Merwe , prop Rory Sutherland , and flanker Hamish Watson have all toured with
6528-414: The goal lines, equivalent to American football's "end zones". The in-goal areas must be between 6 and 22 metres (6.6 and 24.1 yards) deep and cover the full width of the field. A ball grounded in this area by an attacking player will generally result in a try being awarded, unless there has been a previous infringement, or the player has gone out-of-bounds whilst in possession of the ball. The perimeter area
6630-671: The highest level for the first time. Rugby union spread from the Home Nations of the United Kingdom and Ireland , with other early exponents of the sport including Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and France . The sport is followed primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Pacific Islands - Fiji , Tonga , Samoa , Georgia , Oceania , Southern Africa , Argentina , and in recent times also, Italy , Japan , South America ,
6732-468: The match 3–0. The amateur district team was reformed with professionalism, as Edinburgh Rugby, in 1996 to compete in the Heineken Cup , its best performance coming in the 2011–12 season, when the club reached the semi-final but lost out narrowly to Ulster , 22–19. The quarter-final tie against Toulouse attracted a club record crowd of over 38,000 spectators to Murrayfield. In 2003–04 Edinburgh became
6834-414: The most important attributes of a good full-back are dependable catching skills and a good kicking game. Rugby union is played between two teams – the one that scores more points wins the game. Points can be scored in several ways: a try , scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area (between the goal line and the dead-ball line), is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points;
6936-414: The outside of the backline. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. Wings are usually the fastest players in the team and are elusive runners who use their speed to avoid tackles. The full-back is normally positioned several metres behind the back line. They often field opposition kicks and are usually the last line of defence should an opponent break through the back line. Two of
7038-440: The playing area and perimeter area, although depending on how large the perimeter is, other surfaces such as dirt, artificial turf, etc. may be used outside of a "sliding" perimeter from the bounds of the playing area. For the most part, the "playing area" is where the majority of play occurs. The ball is generally considered live whilst in this area, so long as players do not infringe, with special rules applied to specific zones of
7140-442: The playing area. The playing area consists of: A typical "field of play" is generally 100 metres long by 68–70 metres wide for senior rugby, depending on the specific requirements of each ground. The Laws require the field of play to be between 94 and 100 metres (103 and 109 yards) long, with a width of between 68 and 70 metres (74 and 77 yards). As other football codes, such as association football and rugby league, have specified
7242-432: The playing enclosure. Fences or ropes (particularly at amateur clubs) are generally used to mark the extent of this area, although in modern stadia this may include the entire arena floor or other designated space. The Laws, above all, require that the playing enclosure's surface be safe, whilst also permitting grass, sand, clay, snow or conforming artificial turf to be used; the surface would generally be uniform across both
7344-659: The pre-1995 period of rugby union was marked by frequent accusations of " shamateurism ", including an investigation in Britain by a House of Commons Select committee in early 1995. Following the introduction of professionalism trans-national club competitions were started, with the Heineken Cup in the Northern Hemisphere and Super Rugby in the Southern Hemisphere. The Tri Nations , an annual international tournament involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, kicked off in 1996. In 2012 , this competition
7446-459: The previous season. While the pre-season target of a top six finish wasn't achieved, there were other reasons to consider the campaign a success. The first came over the festive period when the team beat Glasgow Warriors over two legs to win the inter-city 1872 Cup for the first time in six seasons. After going down 16–6 in the first encounter at Scotstoun Stadium , the Murrayfield men turned
7548-415: The professional era and is also often used by host nations, professional leagues and tournaments as additional revenue streams, particularly when games are broadcast. In recent years, augmented reality technology has been used to replace painting to protect the surface or save costs on painting fields, producing a similar effect for broadcast albeit sometimes with poorer results. The in-goal areas sit behind
7650-672: The quarter finals at the Madejski Stadium . In the semi-finals they thrashed the Newport Gwent Dragons an impressive 45–16 in front of a home crowd of over 8,000 at Murrayfield, making them the first Scottish team to ever reach a European final. They faced Gloucester in the final at the Twickenham Stoop on 2 May, losing 19–13. In February 2017, the club announced the appointment of former Leicester Tigers and Toulon Head Coach Richard Cockerill for
7752-407: The removal of Ian Rankin as coach of Edinburgh Rugby . The Scottish Rugby Union 's Director of Rugby Jim Telfer asked Hadden to accept the role of head coach. In 2004, he became the first coach to take a Scottish professional team to the Heineken Cup quarter-finals. In April 2005 Matt Williams was sacked as Scotland coach after losing all but three of his 17 matches in charge. That month Hadden
7854-425: The right to throw-in. The perimeter area should be clear and free of obstructions and heavy, solid objects which could pose a danger to players for at least 5 metres from the playing area, according to the Laws. Players often leave the playing area whether accidentally or due to being forced off of the field, sometimes sliding or needing to slow down from a sprint. Many venues at elite levels leave larger spaces around
7956-482: The school he coached their team to 54 victories from 58 matches. In 1994 he was appointed coach of Scotland under-16s team. He continued to coach national age group sides until 2000. Hadden's first appointment to a professional team was in 1997 as assistant coach for the Caledonia Reds , one of the four new professional teams launched in Scotland. Hadden was included in the 1998 Scotland tour of Australia in
8058-590: The shins), both of which were legal and common tactics under the Rugby School's rules of the sport. In protest at the imposition of the new rules, the Blackheath Club left the FA followed by several other clubs that also favoured the "Rugby Rules". Although these clubs decided to ban hacking soon afterwards, the split was permanent, and the FA's codified rules became known as " association football " whilst
8160-485: The six-nations put Scotland eighth in the IRB world rankings. Under Hadden Scotland reached as high as seventh in the world rankings. Hadden continued to coach Scotland through 2007, and coached them to the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Cup where they were defeated by Argentina . On 18 December 2007 the SRU announced that Hadden had signed a rolling contract to continue as Scotland coach until November 2008. Hadden won
8262-427: The sport in England. Although the rules of the game were not a factor in the split, the breakaway teams subsequently adopted some rule changes and this became the separate code of " rugby league ". The RFU's code thereafter took on the name "rugby union" to differentiate it from rugby league, but both versions of the sport are known simply as "rugby" throughout most of the world. The first rugby football international
8364-471: The tables with a 20–8 victory in the return leg, with Tim Visser notching two first-half tries, to bring the trophy back to the capital for the first time since 2009. As the season reached its final stages, Edinburgh's excellent European form took them to within touching distance of more silverware. Solomons left the club in September 2016 following a poor start to the season. Assistant coach Duncan Hodge
8466-432: The tallest players in the team and specialise as line-out jumpers. The main role of the lock in line-outs is to make a standing jump, often supported by the other forwards, to either collect the thrown ball or ensure the ball comes down on their side. Locks also have an important role in the scrum, binding directly behind the three front row players and providing forward drive. The back row, not to be confused with 'Backs',
8568-603: The team found some success, when it reached the Final of the inaugural Celtic Cup, beating Cardiff Blues and Connacht en route in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. The team's good run came to an end in the Final, however, with a 21–27 loss to Ulster , at Murrayfield. David Humphreys kicked 17 points in the match to earn the Irish province the trophy For the 2005–06 season, the Edinburgh team found itself looking for
8670-411: The team that was lacking under his predecessor. Chris Paterson said of Hadden's influence: "There is a confidence among the guys now and increased skill and belief in our handling... That's a testament to Frank and his coaching team." The Calcutta Cup returned to the SRU trophy cabinet on 25 February 2006 for the first time since 2000 after Hadden coached Scotland to victory over England . The win
8772-552: The training pitches at Murrayfield. The stadium cost Scottish Rugby an estimated £5 million. The stadium was completed on 16 February 2021. In December 2023, Edinburgh launched a women's team to compete in the Celtic Challenge , a cross-border competition that is designed to develop players for the Celtic nations, starting in the 2023–24 season . Pink background indicates teams that are in play-off places and earn
8874-424: The two locks at the back of the scrum. The role of the number 8 in the scrum is to control the ball after it has been heeled back from the front of the pack, and the position provides a link between the forwards and backs during attacking phases. The role of the backs is to create and convert point-scoring opportunities. They are generally smaller, faster and more agile than the forwards. Another distinction between
8976-453: The two props is to support the hooker during scrums, to provide support for the jumpers during line-outs and to provide strength and power in rucks and mauls. The third position in the front row is the hooker. The hooker is a key position in attacking and defensive play and is responsible for winning the ball in the scrum. Hookers normally throw the ball in at line-outs. The second row consists of two locks or lock forwards. Locks are usually
9078-616: The world, played by people regardless of gender, age or size. In 2023, there were more than 10 million people playing worldwide, of whom 8.4 million were registered players. World Rugby , previously called the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) and the International Rugby Board (IRB), has been the governing body for rugby union since 1886, and currently has 116 countries as full members and 18 associate members. In 1845,
9180-431: The years including Meadowbank Stadium , Meggetland Sports Complex and most recently Myreside . It was recognised over the years by fans and players alike that Edinburgh have lacked a true Home Ground with BT Murrayfield often criticised for providing a poor atmosphere due to being largely empty for most games. On 31 May 2018, Edinburgh Rugby announced a new proposed 7,800-seater Edinburgh Rugby Stadium to be built on
9282-566: Was appointed Scotland interim coach, leading Scotland to victories against the Barbarians and Romania . On 15 September 2005 Hadden was confirmed as Scotland coach until the Rugby World Cup in 2007 . Hadden's first Six Nations game was a historic victory over France at Murrayfield on 5 February 2006 by 20 points to 16. This was the first time since 1999 that Scotland had beaten France. He succeeded in generating confidence in
9384-463: Was extended to include Argentina , a country whose impressive performances in international games (especially finishing in third place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup) was deemed to merit inclusion in the competition. As a result of the expansion to four teams, the tournament was renamed The Rugby Championship. Each team starts the match with 15 players on the field and typically seven or eight substitutes but this varies at amateur level. The 15 players on
9486-655: Was held at Murrayfield in 1993. Rugby Sevens was introduced into the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and was added to the Olympic Games of 2016. Both men and women's Sevens took place at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Rugby union was an amateur sport until the IRB declared the game "open" in August 1995 (shortly after the completion of the 1995 World Cup), removing restrictions on payments to players. However,
9588-599: Was included as an event in the Olympic Games four times during the early 20th century. No international rugby games and union-sponsored club matches were played during the First World War, but competitions continued through service teams such as the New Zealand Army team . During the Second World War no international matches were played by most countries, though Italy, Germany and Romania played
9690-406: Was largely due to a defensive effort that saw 112 tackles made by Scotland, with only 6 missed. Scotland finished third in the 2006 Six Nations, their best result since 2001. Their three wins in the 2006 Six Nations contrasting their sole win from the 2004 and 2005 tournaments. The turnaround was largely credited to Hadden, as the players available were nearly identical. Their win over France in
9792-459: Was placed in temporary charge, and ultimately held the reins for the remainder of the campaign. By finishing top of their European Rugby Challenge Cup group (containing the French Top 14 pair Lyon and Bordeaux as well as English Premiership team London Welsh ) they progressed to the knockout stage, where they were seeded fifth. They went on to beat fourth seed London Irish 18–23 in
9894-530: Was played before a new club record crowd of 38,887 and was closely contested, with Edinburgh holding out for a 19–14 win thanks to an early try from Mike Blair and penalties from captain Greig Laidlaw , setting up a semi-final in Dublin against Ulster . The semi-final was a close match but Ulster triumphed 22–19. The 2012–13 season started with much expectation after the strengthening of the squad through
9996-575: Was played between Scotland and England at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. The Rugby World Cup , first held in 1987, is held every four years. The Six Nations Championship in Europe and The Rugby Championship in the Southern Hemisphere are other important international competitions that are held annually. National club and provincial competitions include the Premiership in England, the Top 14 in France,
10098-596: Was played on 27 March 1871 between Scotland and England in Edinburgh . Scotland won the game by one goal and one try to one goal. By 1881 both Ireland and Wales had representative teams and in 1883 the first international competition, the Home Nations Championship had begun. 1883 is also the year of the first rugby sevens tournament, the Melrose Sevens , which is still held annually. Two important overseas tours took place in 1888:
10200-416: Was reformed as Edinburgh Rugby to compete in the Heineken Cup. Because of the SRU's significant debt, partly as a result of the redevelopment of Murrayfield Stadium , further reorganisation soon became necessary and the four professional sides were reduced to two. After two seasons as Edinburgh Rugby, the club was subsequently merged with Border Reivers to form a new team known as Edinburgh Reivers . For
10302-527: Was the new manager from 2011 to 2012. Michael Bradley took over in May 2011 on a two-year contract. The 2011–12 season saw the introduction of several young players into the squad including début seasons for 21-year-olds Matt Scott and Grant Gilchrist , 19-year-old Harry Leonard and first full seasons for back three players Tom Brown and Lee Jones plus the back row pair Stuart McInally and David Denton . Most of these players would become regular starters for
10404-415: Was withdrawn on 12 July, with Bob Carruthers being quoted as asking to "talk directly to someone" and insisting that the proposed signing of Australia stand-off Stephen Larkham would go ahead. Despite this, the dispute continued, with each party initiating legal action against the other. The situation was resolved in August 2007, with the termination of the franchise agreement and the return of Edinburgh to
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