The beginning of Merchiston (rugby) football

On Saturday 13th February, 1858 Merchiston played a match with the 'High School', now known as the Royal High School, in the first ever Schoolboy rugby fixture.  The High School were victorious on that occasion, and 150 years later, on Saturday 26th January the Merchiston 4th XV were scheduled to play against the Royal High School.  Before the game we exchanged gifts, with Merchiston receiving a history of the Royal High School book. Our captain Leo Collins is seen here exchanging gifts with the Royal High School captain Calum Blacklock.

 The Merchiston Chronicle of 21st December 1859 reports:

"Many of our readers, among whom we hope we may include a large majority of the parents and guardians of Merchiston boys, have never seen a football match. We have merely endeavoured to sketch some of the leading features of our great and noble winter game, for which, in its now developed perfection, we are indebted to Rugby School. Last year [ie the winter of 1858], the first of ins introduction among us, we did not fully understand all its rather complex rules, but this year, though we began to play late, we have certainly gained in knowledge of, and fondness for, the game."

Clearly our rugby has now come a long way from here, but before 1858 the game which was played sounds fascinating!  In a book published in 1915: 'Recollections of Merchiston' the author, David Murray writes of the 'football' game played prior to 1958:

"The whole school, masters and boys, young and old, big and little, played together and at once, divided into two sides, kicking the ball from one end of the field to the other.

There were no goals except the end of the field; there were no rules except that the ball must be kicked, not carried, but it might be caught, and if it was, the captor was entitled to a free and clear kick; there were no limits as to numbers or as to time; there were no points. All played in their ordinary clothes, masters wearing their tall silk hats, as was then common in the cricket field, and is still the fashion in the hunting field. The game might not be so scientific as the present, but it at the merit of giving exercise to every one and left no one to grow cold as a spectator."