HISTORY
EST 1877
Melrose Rugby Club was founded in 1877. As the Home of the Sevens, it has cemented its position at the heart of Scottish Rugby. Our home, the world famous Greenyards, is situated at the centre of the picturesque town of Melrose under the gaze of the Eildon Hills in the beautiful Scottish Borders. The club has a rich and varied history that has shaped the world of rugby.
1871-1890
1875
Gala RFC founded.
1880
Melrose RFC join the Scottish Rugby Union.
1873
Eight clubs form the Scottish Rugby Union. Hawick Rugby Football Club founded and the first match Hawick v Langholm played.
1871
Langholm Rugby Football Club founded as the first in the Scottish Borders.
1877
Melrose RFC founded. Set of posts, a set of strips and minute book go missing from Mossilee.(now on display in the 1883 bar)
1871-1890
1883
The First Melrose Sevens. Local butcher Ned Haig’s idea to stage a Sports Day to raise funds.
1885
Win the Melrose Sevens for the second time.
1889
Third Melrose Sevens win.
1890
Join the other SRU affiliated sides to form the South of Scotland Rugby Union to pick a District side to play an Edinburgh select.
1893
The first Melrose International cap. Tom Scott.
1901 - 1950
1901
Together with Hawick, Gala, Jedburgh & Langholm agree to play home & away fixtures against each other in a Border League.
1911
Melrose win the Border League title for the 1st time. Selkirk join the league.
1906
Border League is formalised by the SRU. The Border League Challenge Cup is still played for today and is the 3rd oldest trophy in World rugby.
1912
Kelso become the 7th side in the Border League.
1901-1950
1927
Melrose play Hawick in a Jubilee match to celebrate 50 years of rugby at the Greenyards.
1931
Melrose win their own sevens for the 5th time inspired by the legendary Jock Allen, they beat Hawick 11-6.
1933
Built in 6 weeks the Press Box is opened above the stand.
1939
Once again with Jock Allen to the fore, a 2nd Border League title is brought back to the Greenyards.
1938
The BBC is granted permission to broadcast the Sevens on the radio.
1947
Melrose win their own sevens.
Rubble from the Abbey Hotel demolition is used to create the familiar grassy embankments that surround the Greenyards and local builders, Crawfords, build the new turnstiles and entrance.
1948
Melrose retain their Melrose Sevens title.
1950
For the 3rd time in 4 years Melrose win the Melrose Sevens Champions cup.
1951 - 1990
1951-52
The club won the unofficial Scottish League Championship for the first time. Melrose also set a new sevens record, appearing in all 8 border finals, but bad weather resulted in the Border league called void.
1958
Captained by Derek Brown the club win the Border League.
1954
The Border League trophy was secured for the 3rd time.
1951-1990
1964
Seeding is introduced into the Sevens draw.
1963
With David Chisholm at the Helm the Border League and unofficial Club Championship are won.
1975
Melrose win their Sevens for the 1st time since 1952.
1970
BBC record the Sevens and highlights are shown on ‘Rugby Special.’
1971
Both the Border League & unofficial Club Championship are secured by a side lead by Jim Telfer.
1973
The national leagues were officially started.
1976-77
Melrose win the Wavell-Wakefield Trophy at the Harlequin’s Sevens in London.
1983
The club celebrate 100 years of sevens rugby with an extended tournament to include guest sides from the home countries & a winning Barbarians seven from France.
1989-90
Jim Telfer coached a side that win the National Championship and Border League Double.
1990
David Campese and his Randwick side win Melrose Sevens.
1992 - 2014
2009
Ned Haig and Melrose inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame.
1994
Melrose ladies set up, following a successful Women’s Rugby World Cup tournament in Scotland.
1992- 94
Three further National Division one Championships one.
1992-2014
1998
Melrose Sevens title was retained.
1997
Clean sweep of Championship, National Cup, Border League and the Melrose Sevens.
1991-96
Border League title won on 5 consecutive occassions.
1999
Derek Brown complete his season as SRU President. Jim Telfer coaches Scotland to the Five Nations Championship, the squad featuring Bryan Redpath, Craig Chalmers & Doddie Weir.
2008
Melrose beat Heriots to take the Cup for the 2nd time & then preceded to finish runners-up in 4 of the next 5 finals. They returned to Murrayfield in 2016 where they met Heriots and once again finished runners-up.
2002
Launch of the Melrose Rugby Academy.
2011
Win the Premiership and Melrose Sevens.
2012
Win the Premiership.
2014
Third Premiership in 4 years. Melrose win Kings of the Sevens title with a record 88 points. This included 8 tournament wins, Melrose & Berwick being the 2 tournaments they didn’t win.
2015 - 2023
2016
Melrose lose to Heriots in the cup. Melrose win the Charity Shield at Goldenacre. Melrose Storm win the National Reserve League Div 1 for the first time. The Wasps were Border Semi-Junior Championships for the second time in 3 seasons & claimed the semi-junior Sevens title.
2015
Play-offs introduced at the end of the season & Charity Shield at the Start.
2015-2023
2017
Melrose defeat Ayr at Murrayfield to win the Cup in the last game of the season then beat them at Millbrae to win the Charity Shield match at the start of the 17/18 Season. Storm retain the Reserve League title.
2019
The Melrose Super 6 franchise The Southern Knights, coached by Rob Christie, play their inaugural season at the new Greenyards 3G playing surface complete with new floodlights.
2018
Premiership and winners 17/18 and a hat-trick of Reserve League wins for the Storm. Melrose win one of the franchises to home one of the Super 6 sides proposed by the SRU.
2021
The Southern Knights finish the league in the top spot but lose the play-off at Murrayfield to Ayrshire Bulls.
2020
Covid 19 disrupts sport with no finish to any of the leagues.
2022
British Army win Melrose Sevens 2022.
2023
Monaco Impis, champions of Melrose Sevens 2023.