Английская Википедия:Gordonians RFC

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Multiple issues Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Use British English

Шаблон:Infobox rugby team Gordonians RFC is a rugby union team based in Aberdeen, Scotland, founded in 1923. They take their name from the fact that they were originally the former pupils' club for Robert Gordon's College in the city.

History

Founded in 1904–05 for the former pupils of Robert Gordon's College, the Gordonian Rugby Football Club has seen many changes in its constitution and fortunes over the last 101 years. The first fifty years of the Gordonian rugby had seen the establishment of a solid and vibrant club, the next fifty one years were to see the club experience many highs and lows as the game was restructured at a national level. International recognition first came to the club when Bert Bruce took the field for Scotland against Australia at Murrayfield in 1946–47. The international torch was carried through the rest of the century by players like Donald MacDonald, Ron Glasgow and Ian McCrae.

Throughout the late 1950s and the 1960s, the club saw improvement in its fixture list and played an active role in the development of the game in the North East of Scotland, with many players representing the district. Ian McRae, Gordon Hill, A Whyte, and Ian Spence went on to become Scottish trialists. Ian McCrae in particular won six Scottish International caps between 1967 and 1972 and like Gordon Hill (1961) and Ian Spence (1963–64) also enjoyed the honour of playing for the Barbarians in 1965. The player base and management structure of the 1960s took the club into the 1970s in a strong position.

Having established themselves as a force in the 1960s, Gordonians were to see many changes in the 1970s with the introduction of National Leagues in season 1973–74, the club going "open" in 1974–75 and being able to welcome many new talented and committed players. The club would see the gradual introduction of a more professional and committed approach to training and the beginning of the occasional end of season tours for the various teams to the North East of England, the West Coast of Scotland or even France in the 80's and South Africa in the 90's.

Gordonians started life in Division III of the new National League system in season 1973–74 and immediately won promotion to Division II. However, the climb from Division II to I took a further five years to achieve. In the interim, however, the club retained a consistent pool of players, where the 2nd and 3rd fifteens established themselves at the head of the Midland League and Aberdeen District League respectively. In the season of 1978–79, seven Gordonians played for the North Midlands side against a touring New Zealand side, where Chris Snape played for the Barbarians, proving the club had the player base necessary to compete at the highest level. Promotion to Division I was achieved in the season of 1979–80.

The season of 1980–81 was to prove one of the club's most successful and enjoyable. The long-awaited arrival of Hawick at Seafield for the club's first ever Division I match was greeted by a crowd of approximately 1500 spectators. The Gordonians reached an early lead, however, and finished the match, winning with a score of 26–13. After the first eight matches in Division I, they stood third in the table, finishing the season in sixth place. The success was celebrated by a touring party of 38 players to Whitely Bay for a three match tour for 1st and 3rd XV's.

The season 1981–82 by contrast, saw the club unable to continue its earlier success. Injuries to key players and an overall increase in the players' age all contributed to a poor season with the side ending at the second to last place of the league. For league reconstruction, the Gordonians would be demoted but another season of Division I was still assured. Season 1982–83 was a challenging season for the club, with many young and inexperienced players being fielded to fill the gaps, as relegation could not be avoided. Season 1983–84 was mainly a season of consolidation, finishing 6th in Division II. The 3rd XV also won the Aberdeen and District League.

When they were in the Scottish Premier League, in the 1982–83 season, they had to play a number of matches against Borders sides, a round trip of about 300 miles.[1] This distance appears to have taken its toll. For example, in that season, they were defeated by Hawick RFC, 102–4, and a week later, by Gala RFC, some 112–4.[1] However, this was not completely unusual – Nairn McEwan's Highland RFC, for example, took long journeys in the 1970s.

Consolidation was short lived with the club finishing bottom of Div II in 1984–85. However, the much-celebrated club tour to France, in which all three fixtures against very strong French opposition were won, was a great boost to club morale.

Season 1985–86, captained by Doug Lowson, saw a season of consolidation in Division III, with the club finishing 6th.

Seasons 1986–87 and 1987–88 saw a fall to the lower half of Division III after indifferent league campaigns remained static for a period of time. The downward trend was firmly reversed in Season 1988–89 when Colin Manders’ side was promoted to Division II, where a great run of victories was seen in the second half of the season.

The reverse in fortunes was only temporary, however, and the club was relegated the following season and finished 9th in Div III, the season after that (1990–91). One highlight was that of Seb Whyte represented the club at Scotland under 18 level and Lachie Dow represented Scotland at Under 21 level.

The team disappeared for a while, but has now been re-established.[2]

The Gordonians 1st XV currently play in Scottish National League Division Three having won the Caledonia Regional League 1 title in the 2016/17 season[3]

Their 2nd XV, nicknamed the "Jolly Boys", won the Aberdeen and District League [4] and the Gyrodata Aberdeen and District Referees Cup [5] in the 2010–11 Season.

Honours

  • Aberdeenshire Sevens[6]
    • Champions (1): 1994
  • Aberdeen Sevens[7]
    • Champions (1): 1960
  • Deeside Sevens[8]
    • Champions (1): 2016
  • North of Scotland District Sevens[9]
    • Champions (2): 1938, 1960
  • Aberdeen and District League Sevens[10]
    • Champions (1): 1998
  • Mackie Academy F.P. Sevens[11]
    • Champions (1): 1978
  • Highland Sevens[12]
    • Champions (4): 1961, 1962, 1965, 1992
  • Dundee HSFP Sevens[13]
    • Champions (5): 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1973
  • Ross Sutherland Sevens[14]
    • Champions (4): 1958, 1960, 1964, 1959
  • Garioch Sevens[15]
    • Champions (1): 1987
  • Moray Sevens[16]
    • Champions (11): 1936, 1938, 1954, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1970, 1978, 1979, 1998
  • Caledonia Sevens[17]
    • Champions: 2022

Notable players

References

Шаблон:Reflist

Sources

Шаблон:Refbegin

  1. Cotton, Fran (Ed.) (1984) The Book of Rugby Disasters & Bizarre Records. Compiled by Chris Rhys. London. Century Publishing. Шаблон:ISBN
  2. Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; Шаблон:ISBN)

Шаблон:Refend

Шаблон:SRU premiership Шаблон:Rugby union in Aberdeen Шаблон:Rugby union in Scotland