South of Scotland rugby union team

The South is a select rugby union team that draws its players from the South of Scotland, mainly the Scottish Borders where there has always been a proud tradition of rugby union. Historically the South team played matches against touring teams visiting Scotland from abroad, and also competed in the Scottish Inter-District Championship. After rugby union became a professional sport in 1995, the team was replaced by the new Border Reivers team based in the same geographical area as the South and who wore the same colours as the old team. After a fourteen-year break The South reformed to play a Northumberland Select side on 30 December 2009.

The South played Edinburgh District in December 1890 drawing 2 tries a piece.

Borders Rugby has many long and proud traditions. The Border League was the first rugby union league to be set up anywhere in the world, and the South team used to regularly compete against touring sides from the Southern Hemisphere.

Many Borders clubs have helped train and nurture many of Scotland’s current internationals.

As many of the Border sides, most notably Melrose, Gala, Hawick, Selkirk and Jed Forest, produced many international players and even Lions, the South proved worthy competition for the touring sides from the Southern Hemisphere. The South twice drew with South African touring sides (1931–32 and 1969–70) and twice beat Australian touring teams (1966–67 and 1984–85).

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