North and Midlands

North and Midlands
Full name North and Midlands District
Founded amateur 1954 (1954)
professional 1996 (1996)

North and Midlands was a select provincial amateur rugby union team that drew its players mainly from north of Scotland, roughly corresponding from around Stirling northwards.[1] Historically the North and Midlands team played matches against touring teams visiting Scotland from abroad, and also competed in the Scottish Inter-District Championship.[2]

The side was essentially a combined team based on the North of Scotland and the Midlands District. Both were independent districts and played a North v Midlands trial match for selection to the North and Midlands combined team. Both North and Midlands district were merged into one district, now called Caledonia.[3]

Although the North and Midlands combined team began earlier in periodic matches, it formally began as a de facto district in 1954 - when, after the start of the Scottish Inter-District Championship in 1953-54 season, the Midlands District complained to the Scottish Rugby Union that the North of Scotland District side which competed in that first championship had several Midlands players in its squad and that the Midlands should receive equal recognition for providing their players to the North of Scotland District team. The SRU agreed and the combined team became formally known as North and Midlands.[3]

The amateur North and Midlands side evolved into the professional Caledonia Reds side in 1996; one year after rugby union allowed professionalism in 1995.[4]

Teams

The team in the 1994-95 season to play the Scottish Exiles side in December 1994:

S Burns (Edinburgh Academicals); M Cousin (Dundee HSFP), P Rouse (Dundee HSFP), Rowen Shepherd (Edinburgh Academicals), F Swanson (Edinburgh Academicals); J Newton (Dundee HSFP), K Harper (Stirling County); John Manson (Dundee HSFP), M Scott (Dunfermline), Danny Herrington (Dundee HSFP), D McIvor (Edinburgh Academicals, captain), S Hamilton (Stirling County), Stewart Campbell (Dundee HSFP), Rob Wainwright (West Hartlepool), Gareth Flockhart (Stirling County).

The team in the 1995-96 season to play Edinburgh District in December 1995:[5]

R Shepherd (Melrose); N Renton (Kirkcaldy), P Rouse (Dundee HSFP), A Carruthers (Kirkcaldy), J Kerr (Watsonians); Mark McKenzie (Stirling County), K Harper (Stirling County); Willie Anderson (Stirling County), Kevin McKenzie (Stirling County), D Herrington (Kirkcaldy), Stuart Grimes (Watsonians), S Hamilton (Stirling County), D McIvor (Edinburgh Acads) captain, G Flockhart (Stirling County), R Wainwright (West Hartlepool).Replacements: S Burns (Edinburgh Academicals), B Easson (Boroughmuir), M Fraser (Stirling County), Martin Waite (Edinburgh Academicals), A Penman (Grangemouth), R Cairney (Stirling County).

North and Midlands v South 6 November 1965 match report North and Midlands v Edinburgh 5 November 1966 match report

Honours

It shared the Scottish Inter-District Championship three times:- in 1958 - 59 season (with Edinburgh District and South); in 1959 - 60 season (with Edinburgh District and South); and in 1974 -75 season (with Glasgow District).[6]

Partial list of games played against international opposition

Year Date Opponent Venue Result Score Tour
1978 5 December  New Zealand Aberdeen Loss 3-31 1978 New Zealand tour of Britain & Ireland[7] Report
1981 15 December  Australia Aberdeen Loss 3–36 1981–82 Australia tour of Britain & Ireland[8]
1986 20 September  Japan Aberdeen Loss 19–27 1986 Japan rugby union tour of Great Britain Report
1988 15 November  Australia Dundee Loss 17-37 1988 Australia rugby union tour of England, Scotland and Italy
1995 20 September  Samoa Perth Win 47-14 1995 Samoa rugby union tour of Great Britain

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Reborn Caledonia Reds out to reclaim their role in Scottish rugby".
  2. ↑ "Scarce 1978 North and Midlands of Scotland v New Zealand rugby programme – played at Links Field".
  3. 1 2 Midlands First and Last. John Methven. H.B Rutherford publishers. 1989
  4. ↑ "SRU looks north in quest for third pro team".
  5. ↑ "Stirling hookers trade district places". Herald Scotland.
  6. ↑ Border Reivers v Glasgow 24 October 1997 match programme
  7. ↑ Jenkins, Vivian (1979). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1979–80. Rothmans Publications Ltd. p. 30. ISBN 0354090879.
  8. ↑ Jenkins, Vivian (1982). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1982–83. Rothmans Publications Ltd. p. 27. ISBN 0907574130.
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