OSCA
PHOTO TAKEN DURING THE CELEBRATION OF THE 75TH
ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORIAN SCHOOL RUGBY UNION AT
SCOTCH ON 11 AUGUST 2007
Rugby
LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE CENTENARY OF RUGBY AT SCOTCH IN 2032
CELEBRATING THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORIAN SCHOOL RUGBY UNION
SOME SCOTCH 1ST XV RUGBY TEAMS OF THE
1930S
The Scotch 1st XV rugby team will play the Melbourne Grammar School 1st XV during a weekend of events to celebrate the first Victorian school rugby union match , played by the two schools on 11 August 1932 .
The historic 90th anniversary match will be played on the Main Oval at Scotch on Saturday 28 May .
The match will be the centrepiece of a weekend of celebration which is being organised by the School , the Scrum Club ( the Scotch rugby supporters ’ group ) and the Old Scotch Rugby Club .
A full set of anniversary matches for the 2nd XV and the under 13 , 14 , 15 , and 16 teams will also be played on the Main Oval .
The weekend will be preceded by a 90th anniversary lunch on Friday 27 May at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club , involving the whole Scotch rugby community – including past players , coaches and families – as well as Victorian and national connections and rugby legends .
Details of the lunch and the Saturday program will be provided through OSCA , the Scrum Club , the Old Scotch Rugby Club , and their respective social media sites .
The Scotch Collegian of August 1932 records that the first match was played in ‘ ideal weather ’ and ended with a score of 19 to nil in Scotch ’ s favour .
Scotch attributed its early success to excellent coaching from the Melbourne University Rugby Union Football Club which ‘ sent
out players to give us an idea of the game ’ and subsequently to the appointment of a permanent coach , Mr Bellcliffe , a former New Zealand player and ‘ one of the best coaches in Victoria ’.
The Victorian Rugby Union ( VRU ) assisted by ‘ supplying referees and literature on the game ’. The encouragement of the School ’ s Principal , Dr W . S . Littlejohn , himself a former provincial referee in New Zealand , was inspiring .
Rugby Victoria President and Melbourne Rebels Director , Neil Hay , said the great heritage of Victorian rugby is built on the contribution of schools like Scotch and Melbourne Grammar , and the strength of the contribution of Victoria ’ s schools gives the VRU enormous confidence about the immediate future of the game .
‘ The 90th anniversary celebrations will lay the foundation for the centenary of rugby at Scotch in 2032 , the year that the Olympics return to Australia . It will also enthuse boys and families planning to attend the World Cup of Rugby in France in 2023 , and hopefully , in Australia in 2027 ,’ Mr Hay said .
The Scotch Rugby season kicked off with a preseason camp in April .
To attend the 90th anniversary lunch , or for more information about the games , contact Jason Andrew ( 0413 046 965 ) or Rick Boykett ( 0412 601 538 ).
BEVERLEY KNOWLES – OLD SCOTCH RUGBY CLUB
86 Great Scot Issue 165 – April 2022