Scotch College

75th Anniversary

Scotch and Melbourne Grammar celebrate
75th Anniversary of Victorian School Rugby Union

Scotch College 1st XV played Melbourne Grammar School 1st XV on Saturday, 11 August, in a celebration of the first Victorian School Rugby Union match which was played by the two schools on 11 August, 1932.

The “Scotch Collegian”, August 1932, records that the first match was played in “ideal weather” and ended with a score of 19 to nil in Scotch’s favour.

Scotch attributed its early success to excellent coaching from the Melbourne University Rugby Union Football Club which “sent out players to give us an idea of the game” and subsequently to the appointment of a permanent coach, Mr Bellcliffe, a former New Zealand player and “one of the best coaches in Victoria”. The Victorian Rugby Union (VRU) assisted by “supplying referees and literature on the game”.

The historic 75th match was played on the Main Oval, Scotch College, Morrison Street, Hawthorn. On this occasion Scotch defeated Melbourne Grammar to retain the Colin Bell trophy.

Running to the try line on the Main

Several preliminary matches preceded the main match – a Chairman’s XV vs. a Victorian Schools’ Rugby Union XV on the Rugby Pitch at 11 am, U13 Scotch vs. U13 St Kevin’s at 12 noon, and U16 Scotch vs. U16 Melbourne Grammar at 1 pm.

Rugby legends from the past 75 years who gathered for the occasion includde Ewen McKenzie, former Wallaby and current coach of the Waratahs, who played for Scotch in the 50th Anniversary match.

Victorian Rugby Union CEO Ron Steiner said the great heritage of Victorian Rugby is built on the contribution of schools like Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar and the strength of the contribution of Victoria’s schools gives the VRU enormous confidence about the immediate future of the game.