Kelso Rugby Football Club are a Scottish

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

team founded in 1876. They play their home games at Poynder Park, Kelso in the Scottish

Borders A border is a geographical boundary. Border, borders, The Border or The Borders may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * ''Border'' (1997 film), an Indian Hindi-language war film * ''Border'' (2018 Swedish film), ...

. The men's team currently play in and the

Border League The Border League, is the oldest established rugby union league in the World, having been formed in 1901. Currently known as the Booker Border League, after its sponsors, teams from all over the Scottish Borders as well as Berwick RFC from Nor ...

(the oldest established rugby union league in the world); the women's team play in .

History

Kelso RFC won the prestigious

Melrose Sevens Melrose Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Melrose Rugby Club, at The Greenyards in Melrose, Scotland. It is the oldest rugby sevens competition in the world, dating back to 1883 when the tournament was suggested by former Melrose ...

tournament seven times in the space of 12 years from 1978 to 1989. Kelso were also winners of the

Scottish Premiership The Scottish Premiership, known as the cinch Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland. The Scottish ...

in 1988 and 1989. The most recent successes for the club in the 15-a-side game were consecutive Premier League championships in the 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons. Notably, however, the team also reached the final of the Scottish Cup, played at Murrayfield, in both 1998 and 1999, losing to

Glasgow Hawks Glasgow Hawks is an amateur rugby union team in Glasgow, Scotland. They were Premiership Division One champions for three consecutive seasons from 2003–04 to 2005–06. History In Paris on 27 August 1995 a meeting of the International Rugby ...

(36–14) and to local rivals

Gala RFC Gala Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team based in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. Founded in 1875, it plays its home games at Netherdale. The team currently competes in Scottish National League Division One, the second tier of Scottish ...

(8–3), respectively. Adam Roxburgh took over as a head coach at Kelso from 2015. The captain for 2016–17 season was Dom Buckley. After dropping down to the third tier in 2016, the team secured immediate promotion back to

Scottish National League Division One The Scottish National League Division One (known as Tennent's National League Division 1 for sponsorship reasons) is the second tier of the Scottish League Championship for amateur rugby union clubs in Scotland. The division was established in it ...

for the following season with a second-place finish. The history is not without controversy.

Kelso Sevens

Kelso RFC hosts their rugby sevens tournament, the

Kelso Sevens Kelso Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Kelso RFC, in Kelso, Scotland. This was one of a group of Sevens tournaments instated after the First World War extending the original Borders Spring Circuit. The Kelso Sevens began in 1920. ...

. It takes place annually in May (until recently Kelso along with Selkirk RFC held their 7s competition in August) and the competition is part of the

Kings of the Sevens The Borders Sevens Circuit is a series of rugby sevens tournaments held annually in the Scottish Borders. Originally the circuit consisted of 5 tournaments; Langholm Sevens being the last added in 1908. It is the oldest Sevens circuit in the world ...

tournament. The most recent winners of the trophy (2018) are Melrose RFC.

Honours

** Champions (2): 1987–88, 1988–89 *

Scottish Cup The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,Kelso Sevens Kelso Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Kelso RFC, in Kelso, Scotland. This was one of a group of Sevens tournaments instated after the First World War extending the original Borders Spring Circuit. The Kelso Sevens began in 1920. ...

** Champions (18): 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1936, 1948, 1973, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2008 *

** Champions (7): 1978, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989 *

Langholm Sevens Langholm Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Langholm RFC, in Langholm, Scotland. The Langholm Sevens was the last of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated in 1908. Held around the end of every April, the tournament is part ...

** Champions (8): 1930, 1931, 1934, 1974, 1981, 1997, 1998, 2010 *

Hawick Sevens Hawick Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Hawick RFC, in Hawick, Scotland. The Hawick Sevens tournament started in 1886 and is the third extant oldest Sevens tournament in the world; behind Melrose Sevens (1883) and Gala Sevens (18 ...

** Champions (6): 1928, 1960, 1973, 1981, 1985, 1997 *

Gala Sevens Gala Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Gala RFC, in Galashiels, Scotland. The Gala Sevens was the second of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated in 1884, just behind the Melrose Sevens in 1883. Held around the start of eve ...

** Champions (9): 1925, 1936, 1937, 1941, 1948, 1974, 1983, 1985, 2001 *

Berwick Sevens Berwick Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Berwick RFC, in Berwick upon Tweed, England. The Berwick Sevens was the last of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated, in 1983; but the first in England. The main Borders Sevens to ...

** Champions (4): 1983, 1984, 1985, 2008 *

Jed-Forest Sevens Jed-Forest Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Jed-Forest RFC, in Jedburgh, Scotland. The Jed-Forest Sevens was the fourth of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated, in 1894, after the Melrose Sevens (1883), Gala Sevens (1884) ...

** Champions (14): 1913, 1914, 1926, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 *

Earlston Sevens Earlston Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Earlston RFC, in Earlston, Scotland. This was one of a group of Sevens tournaments instated after the First World War extending the original Borders Spring Circuit. The Earlston Sevens beg ...

** Champions (13): 1934, 1936, 1937, 1947, 1955, 1958, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1997, 1998 *

Selkirk Sevens Selkirk Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Selkirk RFC, in Selkirk, Scotland. This was one of a group of Sevens tournaments instated after the First World War extending the original Borders Spring Circuit. The Selkirk Sevens began ...

** Champions (14): 1928, 1929, 1934, 1936, 1948, 1955, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1997 *

** Champions (3): 1996, 1997, 1998 * Kilmarnock Sevens ** Champions (1): 1980

Notable players

Gary Callander Gary Callander (5 July 1959 – 5 December 2021) was a Scottish international rugby union player who made six international appearances for the Scotland national team between 1984 and 1988. He played in the Hooker position. He coached Haddin ...

Gordon Cottington Gordon Stanley Cottington (2 April 1911 – 7 June 1996) was a Scottish rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played representative level rugby union for , and at club level for Kelso RFC,Bath ...

* George Fairbairn, who later went to

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

. *

Ross Ford Ross William Ford (born 23 April 1984) is a Strength and Conditioning coach for the Scottish Rugby Academy. He was previously a Scotland international rugby union player who played as a hooker. He made 110 test appearances for Scotland, maki ...

John Jeffrey John Jeffrey (born 25 March 1959 in Kelso in the Scottish Borders) is a former Scotland international rugby union player. He is an administrator for World Rugby. Rugby Union career Amateur career Jeffrey was educated at St. Mary's Schoo ...

Andrew Ker Andrew Burgher Michael Ker (born 16 October 1954 in Kelso, Scottish Borders) is a Scottish rugby union and cricket player.Bath, p106 He was capped for the rugby union team in 1988, becoming Scotland's oldest debutant at age 33. He also played ...

* Scott Newlands *

Alan Tait Alan Victor Tait (born 2 November 1964) is a former Scottish dual-code rugby footballer, and now coach. He is a Defence Coach at the Super 6 side Southern Knights. He was previously head coach at Newcastle Falcons and a former rugby union ...

, who crossed over to rugby league, and came back again. * George 'Happy' Wilson, who later went to

. *

Iain Fairley Iain Fairley (born 29 August 1973) is a rugby union player who made three appearances for the Scotland national rugby union team. Early life Fairley was born in Kelso, Scottish Borders. Rugby playing career Fairley was selected for Scotland's ...

* Adam Roxburgh *

Roger Baird Roger Baird (born 12 April 1960 in Kelso, Scotland) is a former Scotland international rugby union player. Rugby Union career Amateur career Baird attended St. Mary's School, Melrose and Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh. Both schools ...

* Ken Smith * Oliver Turnbull * Bob Grieve

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kelso Rfc Rugby clubs established in 1876 Scottish rugby union teams Rugby union clubs in the Scottish Borders Kelso, Scottish Borders 1876 establishments in Scotland