Auld Alliance Trophy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Auld Alliance Trophy

Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	2018; 7 years ago (2018)
Number of teams	2
Country	France  Scotland
Holders	France (2024)
Most titles	France (4 titles)

The Auld Alliance Trophy is a special trophy in rugby union. It is given to the team that wins the yearly Six Nations Championship match between France and Scotland.

What is the Auld Alliance Trophy?

This trophy was first given out in 2018. This year was important because it marked 100 years since World War I ended. The trophy helps us remember all the French and Scottish rugby players who bravely fought and died in that war.

Two very important players remembered are Eric Milroy from Scotland and Marcel Burgun from France. They were the captains of their national teams in the last games played before the war began.

When the trophy was first presented, it was carried onto the field by Lachlan Ross and Romain Cabanis. These two 11-year-old boys are actually family members (descendants) of Eric Milroy and Marcel Burgun! It's a cool way to connect the past with the present. In total, 30 Scottish and 22 French international rugby players died in World War I.

About the Trophy

The Auld Alliance Trophy is made from solid silver by a company called Thomas Lyte & Co.. It has beautiful designs of poppies and cornflowers on it. These flowers are symbols of remembrance, especially for those who died in wars.

The idea for this trophy came from Patrick Caublot of Amiens Rugby Club and David Anderson. David Anderson is Eric Milroy's great-great-nephew. They suggested the trophy to the Scottish Rugby Union and the Fédération française de rugby.

The trophy has a message carved into it, in both English and French. It says: "In memory of Eric Milroy, Marcel Burgun and all the French and Scottish rugby players who fell during World War I."

Why is it called the Auld Alliance?

The name "Auld Alliance" comes from a very old friendship between France and Scotland. This alliance started way back in the 13th century! It was a long-standing agreement between the two countries.

France vs. Scotland Rugby History

France and Scotland have played many rugby matches against each other. As of 2021, they have played 98 times! They have also met three times in the Rugby World Cup. In 1987, their first World Cup game was a draw (20-20). France won the other two World Cup matches, in 1995 (22-19) and 2003 (51-9).

Recently, in October 2022, a current Scottish rugby player was identified as a descendant of Eric Milroy! His name is Ollie Smith, and he plays for the Glasgow Warriors and the Scottish national team.

Trophy Matches Overview

Here's a quick look at how France and Scotland have done when playing for the Auld Alliance Trophy:

Host nation	Played	France wins	Scotland wins	Drawn	France points	Scotland points
France	3	2	1	0	82	58
Scotland	4	2	2	0	99	93
Overall	7	4	3	0	181	151

Auld Alliance Trophy Results

This table shows the results of each match where the Auld Alliance Trophy was played for:

Year	Date	Venue	Home	Score	Away	Trophy Winner
2018	11 February	Murrayfield, Edinburgh	Scotland	32–26	France
2019	23 February	Stade de France, Paris	France	27–10	Scotland
2020	8 March	Murrayfield, Edinburgh	Scotland	28–17	France
2021	26 March	Stade de France, Paris	France	23–27	Scotland
2022	26 February	Murrayfield, Edinburgh	Scotland	17–36	France
2023	26 February	Stade de France, Paris	France	32–21	Scotland
2024	10 February	Murrayfield, Edinburgh	Scotland	16–20	France

See also

• List of international rugby union players killed in World War I
• Rugby union trophies and awards
• Millennium Trophy, for winners of England v. Ireland in the Six Nations
• Calcutta Cup, for winners of England v. Scotland in the Six Nations
• Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy, for winners of France v. Italy in the Six Nations
• Centenary Quaich, for winners of Ireland v. Scotland in the Six Nations
• Triple Crown Trophy, if either England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales beat the other three Home Nations.