Co-Optimist Rugby Club
 | ||
| Nickname(s) | Co-Ops | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1924 | |
| ||
| Official website | ||
| www | ||
The Co-Optimist Rugby Club is an invitational rugby union club founded in 1924 by Jock Wemyss, the former Scottish test player, together with George St Claire Murray, a rugby enthusiast from the Watsonians club.[1]
The Co-Optimists have played against national fifteen-a-side teams including France, Ireland and Zimbabwe in the 1980s.[1] The club also has a proud record at the Hong Kong Sevens tournament, finishing as runner-up to Fiji in 1980,[2][3] as a semi-finalist against Australia in 1981, and a quarter-finalist in 1986.[2]
Club colours and emblem
The club colours are a navy blue jersey with white shorts and navy and white hooped socks. The Co-Optimist badge is a lion couchant in blue on a white background.
Notable players
Many well-known international players have represented the club including: Finlay Calder, Jonathan Davies, Mike Gibson, Gavin Hastings, Scott Hastings, Andy Irvine, Dickie Jeeps, John Jeffrey, Tom Kiernan, Ian McGeechan, Doddie Weir, Tony O’Reilly and Rob Wainwright.[1]
Partial list of games played against international opposition
XVs
| Year | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Score | Tour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 14 October |  South African Barbarians | Mansfield Park, Hawick | Win | 24 - 4 | Report |
| 1989 | 6 April |  Soviet Students | Meggetland Sports Complex, Edinburgh | Win | 17 - 15 | Report |
Sevens
| Year | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Score | Tour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 12 April | .svg.png){kind=small} Canada 7s | Hong Kong | Win | ||
| 1980 | 12 April | .svg.png){kind=small} Australia 7s | Hong Kong | Win | ||
| 1980 | 13 April |  New Zealand 7s | Hong Kong | Win | ||
| 1980 | 13 April |  Fiji 7s | Hong Kong | Loss | 8 - 12 | Report |
| 1981 | 28 March |  Indonesia 7s | Hong Kong | Win | 22 - 6 | Report |
| 1981 | 28 March |  Singapore 7s | Hong Kong | Win | 22 - 4 | Report |
| 1981 | 29 March | Australia 7s | Hong Kong | Loss | 10 - 18 | Report |
| 1986 | 5 April |  Papua New Guinea 7s | Hong Kong | Win | 26 - 0 | Report |
| 1986 | 5 April | Canada 7s | Hong Kong | Win | 14 - 8 | Report |
| 1986 | 6 April |  French Barbarians | Hong Kong | Loss | 10 - 22 | Report |
Honours
- Melrose Sevens
- Champions (1): 1993
- Langholm Sevens
- Champions (1): 1936
- Jed-Forest Sevens
- Champions (1): 1940
- Selkirk Sevens
- Champions (4): 1937, 1938, 1947, 1975
- Edinburgh Charity Sevens[4]
- Champions (2): 1939, 1960
- Edinburgh Borderers Sevens[5]
- Champions (1): 1925
- Glasgow High Kelvinside Sevens[6]
- Champions (1): 1984
References
- ^ a b c "Co-Ops History". Co-Optimist Rugby. 2016. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Brazen behaviour: how fans like to party hard at Hong Kong Sevens". South China Morning Post. 18 March 2015. Archived from the original on 3 May 2017.
- ^ "The HK 7s history". Fiji Times. 9 April 2016. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- ^ "Edinburgh Charity Sevens". Scottish Sevens tournaments. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ "Edinburgh Borderers Sevens". Scottish Sevens tournaments. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ "Glasgow High Kelvinside Sevens". 26 August 2021.