Border Reivers (rugby)
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| Full name | Border Reivers |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Disbanded | 2007 |
| Location | Galashiels, Scotland |
| Ground(s) | Netherdale (Capacity: 6,000) |
| League(s) | Celtic League |
Border Reivers, originally known as 'Scottish Borders Rugby' and also known as 'The Borders' were one of four professional rugby union teams in Scotland, alongside Edinburgh, Caledonia Reds and Glasgow Warriors.
Border Reivers were active in the Scottish Inter-District Championship from 1996 to 1998 and in the Celtic League, Celtic Cup and the Heineken Cup from 2002 until 2007 when, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union's cost-cutting measures, they were disbanded. They played their home matches at Netherdale (capacity circa 6,000) in Galashiels, Scottish Borders.
The Border Reivers were a continuation of the amateur South of Scotland rugby union team, reshaped as a professional side in 1996.
For the history of Border Reivers as an amateur district side see:
Scotland had four District Sides:- North and Midlands; South; Glasgow District and Edinburgh District.
The district sides capped the best amateur players from their area's club sides to play inter-district matches and matches against touring sides. Unlike the Scottish clubs (and Ireland's provincial sides), the Scottish district sides had no settled home and were not members of their Rugby Union. This meant when Scottish rugby embraced professionalism it was not clear if a model based on districts or clubs would be used.
It was not clear which route professionalism would go in Scotland. This created a turbulent start for professionalism in Scotland and left Scotland far behind fast-embracing Ireland in the set up of its professional structure. The first season of the Heineken Cup in 1995–96 was run without any Scottish teams in European competition.
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