When Edinburgh Accies pitch up at Old ANNIESLAND on Saturday it adds another match to a history that started in 1872 a year before the formation of the SRU when one of Hawks founder clubs Glasgow Accies first played their Edinburgh namesakes
This match was a precursor to the first Inter City match played in November of the same year--the 1872 Cup may now be played between the Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby buts its roots lie with the Accies of both cities

It's also hard to believe but this first match was played under the auspices of the English Rugby Union RFU as both Accies had joined this body as the SRU was only formed in 1873

"In January 1872, the Edinburgh and Glasgow Academicals met in the first of the series, which still continues, and which, almost from its inception, was regarded as the great club match of the season. From that day till the present, it is tolerably safe to say that a greater number of International players have participated in inter-Academical matches than in any other club combination that could be named.

That first match between the clubs was played at Burnbank, and resulted in a scoreless draw. It is recorded that ' the play was really fine.' L. M. Balfour and J. Dunlop narrowly missed scoring from drops at goal.

The teams were :

Edinburgh Academicals —T. R. Marshall (captain), L. M. Balfour, J. F. Finlay, R. W. Irvine, J. A. W. Mein, D. R. Irvine, J. A. Ross, W. Blackwood, D. Robertson, R. G. Dunlop, T. A. Bell, A. B. Finlay, T. W. Lang, R. E. Wood, and C. K. S. Moncreiff.

Glasgow Academicals — J. W. Arthur (captain), T. Chalmers, W. D. Brown, W. Cross, T. A. Drew, C T. Sloan, D. Drew, J. K. Tod, H. W. Allan, G. R. Fleming, J. K. Brown, C. C. Bruce, W. Harvey, J. Paterson, and W. Brown.

The match was fifteen a side, and it will be observed that quite that number of International players took part. The Merchistonian-Glasgow Academical connection, previously referred to, is also noticeable."

This article was originally posted on 22-Mar-2012, 23:05 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 23-Mar-2012, 08:36.