Edinburgh Wanderers is a former rugby union club, founded in 1868. It was latterly a tenant of the Scottish Rugby Union, playing home fixtures at Murrayfield Stadium for nearly 75 years. In 1997 it merged with Murrayfield RFC to form Murrayfield Wanderers.

Formation

The rugby club was formed in 1868. The club was initially known as St. Andrew's Wanderers, as it was formed by St. Andrews University graduates based in Edinburgh.

Early history

The club quickly became known as Edinburgh Wanderers - and the side established itself as one of the best in Scotland. In the world's first provincial match - between Glasgow District and Edinburgh District - in 1872, the side was already known as Edinburgh Wanderers and provided 3 players to the first Edinburgh District side:- A. Ross; J. Forsyth and A. R. Stewart

The club would have been the ninth founding club of the Scottish Rugby Union had the club secretary made it to the inauguration meeting of the union in 1872.

Instead it initially joined the (English) Rugby Football Union in that same year. However a year later as the Scottish Rugby Union grew, the Wanderers resigned from the RFU to join the SRU.

The Wanderers team of 1876-77 is noted as one of the best in its history.

In 1937 Wanderers provided both captains, Ross Logan and Idwal Rees, in the Scotland v Wales fixture that year. This was the first time in the history of rugby that opposing international captains were, at the same time, teammates at club level, and has only been replicated since the advent of professionalism.

Renaming and admission of MRFC members

At a Special General Meeting in 1997 Wanderers changed their name for a second time to become Murrayfield Wanderers FC. This was to facilitate the merger of the Murrayfield RFC. The Club then invited the members of Murrayfield RFC to join the renamed organisation. This proposal was accepted at an SGM of MRFC shortly thereafter.

For the subsequent history of Murrayfield Wanderers see:

Honours

Scottish Division 2 winners: 1990. Scottish Division 3 winners: 1984. Hawick Sevens Champions (1): 1946 (jointly fielded team with Edinburgh Academicals) Melrose Sevens Champions (1): 1973 Peebles Sevens Champions (1): 1947 (jointly fielded team with Edinburgh Academicals) Edinburgh Charity Sevens Champions (5 outright): 1942 & 1945 (both years a jointly fielded team with Edinburgh Academicals), 1953, 1966, 1967, 1973, 1974 Royal HSFP Sevens Champions (2): 1971, 1988 Portobello Sevens Champions (1): 1982 Moray Sevens Champions (1): 1968 Kirkcaldy Sevens Champions (1): 1970 Howe of Fife Sevens Champions (4): 1970, 1973, 1988, 1989 Stirling Sevens Champions (1): 1984 Greenock Sevens Champions (6): 1960, 1961, 1962, 1973, 1978, 1986 Ardrossan Sevens Champions (1): 1965 Edinburgh Northern Sevens Champions (1): 1990, 1992, 1997

Notable former players

British and Irish Lions

The following former Edinburgh Wanderers players have represented the British and Irish Lions.

John Smith J. C. Hosack Alec Boswell Timms

Scotland internationalists

The following former Edinburgh Wanderers players have represented Scotland at full international level.

Charles Villar Arthur Smith Ross Logan William Renwick Peter Gedge Ian Cordial Frank Fasson Bobby Clark Douglas Schulze Bill Gammell

Alan Lawson

Bob Gordon William Cowie William Holms Ronald Wright Grahame Budge

Charlie Usher Henry Gedge Ken Dalgleish George Aitchison John MacDonald Andrew Drybrough James Gowans Ian Smith A. G. G. Asher

James Reid Jock Wemyss Charles Fleming Thomas Begbie Charles Berry David Whyte

Notable non-Scottish players

The following is a list of notable non-Scottish international representative former Edinburgh Wanderers players:

Arthur Budd Mick Doyle John Gwilliam Idwal Rees

Edinburgh District players

The following former Edinburgh Wanderers players have represented Edinburgh District at provincial level.

Charles Villar Bob Gordon Robert J.G. Taylor A. Ross Ken Dalgleish John MacDonald J. Forsyth Ian Cordial Ronald Wright A.R. Stewart William Cowie Charles Berry

Professional players

Professionalism began in rugby union in 1995 - and in Scotland it came a year later in 1996. These players went on from the Wanderers to professional teams:

Murray Craig

Notable also outside of rugby

The following is a list of notable former Edinburgh Wanderers players who have achieved notability in fields outwith rugby:

Roy Williamson - Songwriter and folk musician of The Corries

Lieutenant Colonel Wilfrith Elstob VC DSO MC, Commanding Officer of 16th Battalion Manchester Regiment

SRU presidents

Former Edinburgh Wanderers players have been President of the SRU: 1889–90 Andrew Ramsay Don-Wauchope 1897–98 Robert Rainie 1899–1900 Ian MacIntyre

References