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On 8 December, 1870, a letter was published in The Scotsman and the London magazine Bell’s Life inviting English players to take part in a match under the “Rugby Rules”. The challenge was accepted and on 27 March, 1871, the teams from England and Scotland, along with spectators supporting both sides, met at Raeburn Place in Stockbridge, Edinburgh.

The fixture became an annual event, now played as part of the Six Nations for the Calcutta Cup.

Rugby coverage became a core part of The Scotsman, and when dedicated sports pages were introduced, the oval ball game was always to the fore. Correspondent Norman Mair played a large part in building this newspaper’s reputation for rugby coverage, as the most talented writer of the era. He was respected and revered internationally.

TUESDAY, 28 MARCH, 1871 Football The International Match

The first match worthy of the above name between picked twenties of the two countries came off yesterday in the Academy Cricket Ground, Raeburn Place, and was in every respect a success. With the exception of a slight breeze from the north-east, so trifling that it hardly made any difference to the players, the weather was delightful.

The ground for the players was all roped in, the line nearest the pavilion being reserved for the Academicals and Academy principally, while the field and hill beyond the paling on the other side was reserved for spectators. Altogether it was estimated that there were nearly 2000 spectators.

The English team first put in an appearance, and when stripped found many friends. They were all dressed alike in white jerseys, with the rose as their badge, white flannel knickerbockers, and brown stockings. The Scotch team were not long following in their dark blue jerseys, their badge, however, not showing so clearly as that of their opponents.

When the two teams were together, the Englishmen had certainly most admirers, and looked the heavier of the two. Their total weight was 214 st. 10lb – thus giving an average of nearly 12 st. 3 lb to each member.

Some misconception having arisen as to the origin of the match, the following facts may here be interesting: – soon after the playing of what was termed the first of the international matches for the season at London, in which neither of the teams could be considered fairly representative of the countries, especially the Scotch, a discussion (started by a Glasgow gentleman) arose in our columns on the subject. One well-intentioned correspondent, after criticising the composition of the teams, suggested the sending of half-a-dozen of our best Scotch players for the return – a suggestion which we need hardly say could not have been taken up if the game were to be played by Association rules. The Captain of the English team, by way of reply to the first letter, offered to produce the London Scotch international team against any eleven that Scotland could produce, the match to come off in London, for a challenge cup or eleven medals.

After the match at Glasgow between the Academicals and Merchistonians, the idea of a challenge was mooted between the two Captains, and a few days after we published the formal challenge to play “any twenty selected from the whole of England – Rugby rules – either in Edinburgh or Glasgow, on any day that might be suitable to the English players,” signed by the Captains of the Edinburgh Academical, Merchistonian, St Andrews University, West of Scotland, and Glasgow Academicals.

A few weeks afterwards the challenge was accepted, and the task of getting up an English team was intrusted to Mr W. H. Burns, the secretary of the Blackheath Club, while Mr Hall Blyth looked after the interests of the Scotch team.

The time was divided into two periods of fifty minutes each, and shortly after three the Captain of the Scotch twenty, having chosen the lower goal, led off the attack by a good kick, one of the English back players soon sending the ball back into the middle of the ground.

Ross now dropped it well up on the English goal; but a good kick from one of the English half-backs sent it for a

little out of danger. Mcfarlane, who had before been keeping well on the ball, got splendidly forward, the Captain backing him well up.

A piece of fine play on the part of England was here made, the principal part in which was taken by Bentley and Tobin. The ball got past all the forwards and half-backs, and was on its way to Chalmers (who seldom makes a mistake), but this time he let it past, and very nearly let England get a goal. It was, however, first touched by the Scotch, which gave them the 25 yards, when it was kept pretty well in the centre of the ground till time was called. The Scotch team had certainly the best of the round, though nothing decisive.

Sides were now changed, and soon after the second fifty minutes had been entered on Cross had a fine run. Mr Moncrieff followed this up by some pretty “dribbling,” which brought the ball into English territory.

One of the best pieces of play of the day was now shown. Mcfarlane got the ball, stuck to it, and was pushed nearly three yards further into his opponents’ ground before he gave up, which was only when several of the players had fallen in touch.

The Scotch team were now steadily gaining on the English goal, and within a yard of the line a “maul” occurred, which resulted in Ritchie being pushed in with half a dozen on the top of him. A louder cheer arose, which distant spectators guessed was a “try” for the Scotch, but it was somewhat premature. One of the Englishmen also claimed the ball, while Mr Ritchie maintained it was his, and stuck to it. As the men could not agree, the umpires decided it as a back off at five yards. The Scotch again had the best of the “maul,” and this time they looked well after the ball, while pushing both Mcfarlane and Buchanan in. There was no mistake this time, and the cheering was taken up all round.

The most difficult part was yet to come. The “try” – no easy one – was given to Cross, who kicked it over in grand style, amid an amount of cheering and enthusiasm seldom seen in a football match.

Scotland thus had the first substantial victory of the day, which had the effect of making the English team redouble their efforts. The ball was again brought to the centre of the field, from which the English captain made a really fine kick well up to the Scotch goal. It was soon, however, back again, when one of the English players made a good run, which was received with cries of “Well played, England.”

The English team were now well into Scotch ground, and twice the English players were nearly in before they were collared by Cross. At last Tobin got a touch-down for England; but the “try” was very far out, and it was missed by their captain. The ball was again started from the 25, and Chalmers getting a hold of it, made a fine run, finishing with a drop, which was loudly cheered; but as one of his feet was in touch, the ball had to be brought back.

Bentley, one of the English backs, made a good run before he was collared, after which the ball was gradually borne down on the English goal. Mein, Arthur, Buchanan and Thomson taking a prominent part, till Cross got another touch down for Scotland. The touch down was disputed; but the umpire gave a “try.”

Time was now called, and thus ended a match which will long be remembered by all who saw it for the closeness and good feeling with which it was contested, and its many exciting incidents.

At the conclusion of the match three hearty cheers were given for England. The match was thus won by Scotland by a goal and try to a try. The return is to be played in London next season.

MONDAY, 19 MARCH, 1990 Grand Slam: Sole decision to take the wind justified

SCOTLAND 13, ENGLAND 7

By NORMAN MAIR

David Sole, the choice fortified by the knowledge that England had in their three previous matches been so quickly in front that they had never had any pressure from the scoreline, took the wind on winning the toss.

Scotland had marched out on to the field rather than run, with something of the cool deliberation of a gunslinger relishing the final shoot-out. Not that it had done much for the Lions when they similarly sought to throw down the gauntlet in last summer’s First test in Australia.

Mcgeechan wanted his men to take the game to England from first to last, to run at them. Soon, his old field lieutenant, Finlay Calder, from a quick tap penalty, was sounding the charge with a veritable bugle call of a surging thrust.

Whereupon England were penalised for going over the top. Chalmers - who had already narrowly failed with one longish penalty - kicked a fine goal.

Shortly, as the scrum collapsed, Probyn stamped on Sole. Again Chalmers exacted the three points.

The English response was a truly glorious try. From the visitors’ scrum feed, Mike Teague picked up and drove. The heel, as Jim Telfer ruefully noted, had compromised his reaction to the point where, instead of bursting away blind as Scotland - and in particular, Derek White at No8 - had expected, Teague broke to the open, breaching the gain-line before being brought down by Calder.

Rob Andrew, whose deft hands and twofooted punting were among the features of the afternoon, had also gone blind, drawing Chalmers. Thus, when Hill erupted from Teague’s break, Lineen was committed by the scrum-half whose long pass to Carling beat Scott Hastings.

Jeremy Guscott took Carling’s pass and, dummying Gavin Hastings, completed a memorable score. Simon Hodgkinson failed with the kick across the wind which no doubt was partly why he shook his head at Carling’s inquiry when England were subsequently afforded penalty chances across the wind from the other flank.

Paul Ackford was spoken to for his retaliatory attentions to Chris Gray, although he evidently had the wrong man anyway. Chalmers kicked a good goal which, with half-time beginning to loom, was all the better for being so timely.

Nine-four seemed perilously little insurance for a second half into the wind, well though Scotland were playing - and it began ominously with Gavin Hastings’ kickoff going into touch without pitching.

However, from the resultant scrum, Teague knocked on. Now Scotland had the put-in, Jeffrey serving Armstrong on the blind. The scrum-half made ground and, taking Andrew’s tackle on the inside, got the ball out to Gavin Hastings.

The full-back juggled with the ball but held the pass and, doing just enough to pull Underwood towards him, uncorked just about the most important chip to materialise in this galaxy since the micro was invented.

Stanger, in vivid exemplification of the saw that the first five yards are in the mind, saw the chance before England fully saw the danger. Though the kick reared on alighting, he plucked it adroitly out of the air to complete an exemplarily worked move. Chalmers could not kick the goal, but the only other further score was a penalty goal by Hodgkinson.

The Scotch team were now steadily gaining on the English

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