150th Anniversary of International Rugby

30 March 2021

Last Saturday, 27th March 2021, we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the first ever game of international rugby, which saw Scotland beat England at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh on 27 March 1871.

To mark this historic event, Raeburn Place Foundation held a small COVID-restricted commemoration with Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend and assistant coach Mike Blair as they brought the Calcutta Cup to Raeburn Place, the birthplace of international rugby, on their return from a great Scotland win in Paris. Gregor and Mike were joined by Magnus Wake and Richard Bath, documentary makers of The Great Game, as well as EAFC Minis who showcased their skills on the pitch that hosted the first game.

There was excellent media coverage over the weekend and we are pleased to share with you this BBC short film compiled to celebrate the importance of Raeburn Place in the history of International Rugby. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09c33nj