Trinity Academicals RFC facts for kids
| Full name | Trinity Academicals RFC | |
|---|---|---|
| Union | Scottish Rugby Union | |
| Founded | 1913 | |
| Location | Edinburgh, Scotland | |
| Ground(s) | Bangholm | |
| League(s) | East Division 2 | |
| 2019–20 | East Division 2 | |
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| Official website | ||
The Trinity Academicals RFC, often called "Trinity" or "Trinity Accies," is a rugby union club from Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. It was first started for students who used to go to Trinity Academy, Edinburgh. Today, Trinity Accies plays in the East Division 2 league.
Contents
- What is the History of Trinity Accies?
- Who Are Trinity Accies' Top Players?
- What Championships Have Trinity Accies Won?
- When Did Trinity Accies Get Promoted?
- How Does Trinity Accies Rank?
- What About 7-a-side Rugby?
- Does Trinity Accies Have Youth Teams?
- Has Trinity Accies Toured Other Countries?
- What Awards Has Trinity Accies Won?
What is the History of Trinity Accies?
How Did Trinity Accies Start?
The Trinity Accies rugby club began in 1913. It was started by former students of Trinity Academy, a school that opened in 1892. These students would meet at Starbank Park in Newhaven. They formed a team to play friendly games against other local clubs.
In the early days, Trinity Accies played games at Victoria Park. Their team colors were blue with a red badge. This badge showed the Leith Coat of Arms. After World War I, the team changed its colors. They started wearing black jerseys with a gold band.
Rugby Between the World Wars
No rugby was played during World War I. But in October 1920, the club started playing regularly again. Between the two World Wars, Trinity was a smaller, average club.
A man named Frank Trotter helped the club a lot. He was an education officer for Leith. He gave the club a regular home ground called Bangholm. This ground opened on December 2, 1920.
During the 1920s and 1930s, Trinity Accies played against many clubs. Some of these clubs are still around today. These include Boroughmuir, Linlithgow, and Lasswade.
From 1926 to 1931, the team got much better. This was when James Hossack became captain. He was a geography teacher at Trinity Academy. Under his leadership, Trinity players were chosen to play for the Edinburgh Junior team. This was a big step for the club!
Trinity Accies After World War II
Not many games were played during World War II. But in 1942 and 1943, they held some 7-a-side tournaments. After the war, more players returned. The team started to improve.
By the 1950s, Trinity Accies played against bigger clubs. These included Melrose, Langholm, and Selkirk. In 1950, the club became a full member of the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU). The team wanted to be good enough to be included in the unofficial championship.
They had a strong winning streak. They beat top teams like Stewarts and Melrose. Because of these wins, Trinity Accies started appearing in the league table from 1963 to 1964. By the end of the 1964–65 season, Trinity Accies was ranked 17th out of 35 teams.
How Did the Leagues Begin?
For many years, Trinity Accies wanted a proper league system. So, in 1973, they fully supported the SRU's plan. This plan created formal leagues. Each league had twelve teams, and they played each other once.
Who Are Trinity Accies' Top Players?
Many talented players from Trinity Accies have gone on to play for bigger teams.
Playing for Edinburgh
Several players have represented Edinburgh in rugby:
- Dougie Mitchell
- Ian Gibb
- Jimmy Taylor
- Gordon Connell
- Rab Murdoch
- Graeme Plenderleith
- Ian Moffat
- Julian Vaughan
Playing for Scotland's Youth Teams
These players have played for Scotland's age group teams:
- Fergus Henderson
- Robin Hamilton
- Ross McNulty
- Lewis Niven
- Tom Drennan
- Sam Pecquer
Playing for Scotland's National Team
- Gordon Connell played 5 games for the full Scotland team.
Playing for the British Lions
- Gordon Connell also played one test match for the British & Irish Lions against South Africa. This is a very high honor in rugby!
What Championships Have Trinity Accies Won?
1987/88 – Division 4 Champions
The team, led by Captain Dougie Spencer, won the Division 4 title. They had a great season, winning the championship in their very last game!
1993/94 – Division 4 Champions
Captain Andy Wilson and coach Ian Henderson led the team to another Division 4 championship. They had to win all their remaining games to get promoted, and they did it!
When Did Trinity Accies Get Promoted?
1974/75 – Promoted to Division 3
This team had an amazing season, losing only one game! They beat Highland RFC, who were very strong. Even though they finished second, this was the club's best record ever. Brian Clark was the captain, and Stan Grant was the coach.
1978/79 – Promoted to Division 3
Captain Euan Romanis and coach Fraser Mason led the team to promotion. They moved up a division because of their strong points difference.
How Does Trinity Accies Rank?
Trinity Accies has had many strong performances over the years. Some highlights include:
- Beating Boroughmuir 14-12
- Beating Stewarts 13-9
- Beating Selkirk 23-5
- Drawing with Edinburgh Accies 3-3
- Beating Hawick 8-11
In September 1968, the club had a huge win against Melville College, scoring 65–0. This would be 95–0 with today's scoring rules! This game happened just a week after five of the club's players played in a trial for the Edinburgh team.
What About 7-a-side Rugby?
Trinity Accies has a strong history in 7-a-side rugby tournaments.
On April 16, 1945, the club won its first 7s tournament. The team included players like A Fairfull and D Graham. They beat Leith 15–0, Stewarts 9-0, and Edinburgh Wanderers / Accies 8–0.
Trinity continued to win many 7s tournaments. They won the Walkerburn tournament for the first time in 1948. They also won the first three finals of the Stirling County 7s, which started in 1948. They have won cups at Peebles and Moray tournaments too.
Does Trinity Accies Have Youth Teams?
Yes! Thanks to people like Alex Harper, Alan Spencer, and Peter Galloway (the long-term rector), the club has always had new players from the school. This helps keep the club strong for the future.
Has Trinity Accies Toured Other Countries?
Trinity Accies has traveled to many places for rugby! They have visited Burnham (England), Hanover and Munich (Germany), Juan les Pins and Avignon (France), and St Gallen (Switzerland). The club has also welcomed teams from all over the world to Edinburgh.
What Awards Has Trinity Accies Won?
Here are some of the honors Trinity Accies has achieved:
- Trinity Academicals Sevens
- Champions (2): 1945, 1948
- Peebles Sevens
- Champions (3): 1961, 1966, 1967
- Walkerburn Sevens
- Champions (7): 1948, 1955, 1961, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1970
