Murrayfield Wanderers FC

Scottish rugby union club, based in Edinburgh

Rugby team

Murrayfield Wanderers

Murrayfield Wanderers FC Club Badge

Full name| Murrayfield Wanderers Football Club
Founded| 1997; 28 years ago (1997)
Location| Edinburgh, Scotland
Ground(s)| Roseburn Park
Coach(es)| 1st XV: Derek O’Riordan
Assistants: Alastair Chalmers & Calum Gauld
League(s)| Scottish National League Division Three
2021–22| Scottish National League Division Three, 6th of 10

Team kit

2nd kit

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Official website
www.pitchero.com/clubs/murrayfieldwanderersfootballclub

Murrayfield Wanderers Football Club is a rugby union side based in Edinburgh, Scotland, founded by the merger of Edinburgh Wanderers and Murrayfield RFC in 1997.

## Beginnings

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The club's roots were based on two clubs; Edinburgh Wanderers and Murrayfield RFC. Edinburgh Wanderers was the elder of the two clubs.

For the history of these clubs see:

Main article: Edinburgh Wanderers

Edinburgh Wanderers FC dated from 1868. Murrayfield RFC dates from 1971. A merger was proposed, and to facilitate this the Wanderers renamed in 1997, to allow the Murrayfield club to join in a merger.[1]

As part of the merger there was notable restructuring. The Scotman newspaper reporting: "after Murrayfield RFC and Edinburgh Wanderers FC merged in 1997, the old clubhouse on Corstorphine Road was sold and the £300,000 proceeds invested in the new pavilion next to the main stadium. Public sports grants of £125,000 and £165,000 were made on the basis of a wider public benefit."[2]

Both clubs brought together a long history of rugby excellence which can trace its roots back to 1868 when the Edinburgh Wanderers Football Club was formed.[3] Murrayfield RFC itself was borne of a prior merger when Kenmore RFC, Bruntsfield RFC and County Rovers RFC merged to form that club. Kenmore RFC dated from 1916, Bruntsfield even earlier, a 2nd XV extant in 1907,[4] County Rovers extant after the Second World War.

The club celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2018, on the basis of Edinburgh Wanderers history, the earliest of its merged component sides.

The team currently compete in Scottish National League Division Three and play their matches in Roseburn Park, Edinburgh.[5]

## Current Form

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Murrayfield Wanderers finished in 10th place at the end of season 2010–11 but had a much more successful 2012–13, finishing in 4th place. The club currently have three men's teams playing on Saturday, a social team (Pirates).

They won promotion to National League 3 in the 2016/17 season and won the BT Edinburgh Shield, beating Linlithgow 66–10. They competed for the BT Men's Shield Final against Carrick on 22 April, losing 48–21. They also boasted one of the most successful women's team in Scotland, now defunct.

## Honours

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* Scottish Rugby Shield
* Winners (1): 2004-05
* Runners-Up (1): 2016-17
* Penicuik Sevens
* Winners (1): 2024[6]
* Musselburgh Sevens
* Winners (1): 2024[7]

## References

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* Goodwin, Terry Complete Who's Who of International Rugby (Cassell, 1987, ISBN 0713718382)
* Jones, J.R. Encyclopedia of Rugby Union Football (Robert Hale, London, 1976 ISBN 0709153945)
* Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; ISBN 0 904919 84 6)

1. ^ "SRU send Wanderers on their way – despite club's significant investment in Murrayfield estate". 30 July 2018.
2. ^ "John McLellan: SRU is no friend of grassroots rugby". 28 July 2018.
3. ^ Encyclopedia of Rugby Union Football, p36
4. ^ https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001876/19071223/056/0004. `{{cite web}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
5. ^ "£176,000 facelift for Roseburn Park pitches gets underway". 17 March 2021.
6. ^ "Penicuik Sevens". 7 June 2019.
7. ^ "Musselburgh Sevens". 7 June 2019.

## External links

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* Official website

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Rugby Union in Edinburgh

Governing body|

* Scottish Rugby Union (Edinburgh and District Rugby Union)

URC / ERC Cup / Challenge Cup teams|

* Edinburgh Rugby

Super 6 teams|

* Boroughmuir Bears
* Heriot's Rugby
* Watsonians

Premiership (Men) teams|

* Currie Chieftains
* Edinburgh Academicals
* Heriot's Blues Men

National League (Men) teams|

* Division 1: Watsonians 2nd XV
* Division 2: Boroughmuir 2nd XV
* Stewart's Melville RFC
* Division 3: Murrayfield Wanderers
* Royal High

Regional Leagues (Men) teams|

* Broughton
* Corstorphine
* Edinburgh Northern
* Edinburgh University Medics
* Forrester
* Inverleith
* Leith
* Liberton
* Lismore
* Portobello
* Trinity Academicals

Premiership (Women) teams|

* Corstorphine
* Heriot's Blues
* Watsonians

National League (Women) teams|

* Division 1: Broughton

College and university (Men) teams|

* Edinburgh University
* Edinburgh Napier University
* Heriot-Watt University
* Moray House
* Royal (Dick) Veterinary College

College and university (Women) teams|

* Edinburgh University
* Edinburgh Napier University
* Heriot-Watt University
* Royal (Dick) Veterinary College Ladies

Defunct clubs|

* Athenians
* Brunstane
* Bruntsfield
* Cluny
* County Rovers
* Craiglockhart
* Edinburgh Borderers
* Edinburgh Institution
* Edinburgh New College
* Edinburgh St. George
* Edinburgh Wanderers
* Fettesian-Lorettonian
* Ferranti
* Grange
* Granville
* Heriot Rovers
* Holy Cross
* James Clark HSFP
* Kenmore
* Melville College
* Merchistonian
* Morningside
* Murrayfield
* Newington
* Priestfield
* Royal High Corstorphine
* Stewart's College
* Warriston

Tournaments|

* Boroughmuir Sevens
* Broughton Sevens
* Currie Sevens
* Dreghorn Sevens
* Edinburgh Borderers Sevens
* Edinburgh City Sevens
* Edinburgh Northern Sevens
* Edinburgh St. George Sevens
* Edinburgh Wanderers Sevens
* Forrester Sevens
* Holy Cross Sevens
* Leith Sevens
* Lismore Sevens
* Morningside Sevens
* Newington Sevens
* Portobello Sevens
* Scotland Sevens
* Trinity Academicals Sevens

Stadiums and related articles|

* Caledonian Thebans
* Raeburn Place
* Edinburgh Rugby Stadium
* Goldenacre
* Inverleith
* Meggetland Sports Complex
* Murrayfield Stadium
* Myreside Stadium

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