Edinburgh’s links with the auld enemy run deep

WHISPER it quietly but Edinburgh Academy have some interesting links with the auld enemy across the wall, the cursed Sassenachs.

Not only do they have the Crombie brothers from Durham School to thank for introducing the game to the school but some of the biggest early figures in the school’s rugby history had English connections.

In that first ever international between Scotland and England in 1871 not only did the Academy and their old boys provide eight of Scotland’s 20-man team but another Accie, Benjamin Burns, was in the England line-up.

Burns was Scottish to the core but moved to London after school to learn his trade as a banker where he joined Blackheath and, indeed, became the secretary.

Burns was a co-signatory with Edwin Ash, to the famous letter to the Times in 1870 demanding a codification of the laws. This led to the forming of the Rugby Union. Then it was his Scottish/Edinburgh Academy connection that saw the leading clubs in Scotland write to Blackheath challenging the clubs of England to meet them in an international game. Burns answered in the affirmative and kitted out the English team.

Burns was also a founding member and leading light of the Calcutta club whose demise a few years later saw the melting down of their silver rupees and the creation of the Calcutta Cup.

The school has other Anglo connections. In 1881, when Scotland again entertained England at Raeburn, one of the English party had missed the night-train and they were a player short. T E Wright, a Manchester lad studying at the school and a member of the 1st XV, was summoned and proceeded, by all reports, to enjoy a fine game at half-back.

This was the only senior international in history when two current school pupils played against each other, with Charles ‘Hippo’ Reid playing for Scotland. In best comic book fashion both were carried aloft back to the school when the international ended.

Perhaps the most notable “Anglo” was James ‘Bungy’ Watson, the son of an itinerant Naval family, who although born in Hampshire was educated at the Academy while his father was based in Scotland. An outstanding back he was also a star athlete who represented Scotland in their annual athletics fixture with Ireland.

Although earning a final trial, the Scottish rugby selectors were not convinced which was England’s good fortune. After studying medicine at Edinburgh University for five years he moved to London where his rugby talents were more appreciated.

Watson played in three of England’s four Championship games in 1914, including a satisfying win against Scotland, but like many was lost to war, one of 525 fatalities when HMS Hawke was torpedoed in the North Sea and sank in just eight minutes.