1953–54 Scottish Inter-District Championship

1953–54 Scottish Inter-District Championship
Countries  Scotland
Date 1953-54
Champions Edinburgh District
Runners-up South
Matches played 6
Top point scorer Norman Mair (15)
Top try scorer I. W. Nicholl (2)
L. B. Mackenzie (2)
Jim Davidson (2)
J. S. Glen (2)
R. G. Charters (2)
J. M. Maxwell (2)

The 1953-54 Scottish Inter-District Championship was a rugby union competition for Scotland's district teams.

This season saw the first formal Inter-District Championship in Scotland. The district sides selected were Glasgow District, Edinburgh District, North and South.

The Midlands district was not represented. Instead their players were selected in the formation of the North side.

This was the only season that North played in the Scottish Inter-District Championship. Midlands complained to the Scottish Rugby Union that despite having several players selected in the North of Scotland side they had no recognition for this. The SRU agreed and in subsequent seasons the combined team was known as North and Midlands in the Inter-District tournament.[1]

The case for rugby substitutes was raised after the Glasgow - Edinburgh inter-city match when Glasgow's star player Angus Cameron left the field injured. Not only did this hamper Glasgow by playing with a man short, but their players complained that their selection chances to the national team were impaired by then being forced to play unfamilar positions to cover the loss.[2]

Edinburgh District won the inaugural competition with a maximum three wins.

1953-54 League Table

Team P W D L PF PA +/- Pts
Edinburgh District 33005318+356
South 32013922+174
Glasgow District 31022820+82
North 30032888-600

Results

Round 1

30 September 1953
Edinburgh District 8 3 South
Try: Douglas Elliot
R. G. Baird
Con: Douglas Elliot
Preview
Report
Pen: J. Wright
Goldenacre Sports Ground
Referee: A. W. C. Austin (Glasgow HSFP)

Edinburgh District: D. H. Crighton (Watsonians), D. M. Scott (Watsonians), R. G. Baird (Watsonians), Tommy McClung (Edinburgh Academicals),
T. G. Weatherstone (Stewarts College F.P.), Jim Davidson (Edinburgh University), A. D. Thomson (Heriots F.P),
R. D. S. Munro (Leith Academicals), Norman Mair (Edinburgh University), F. McLachlan (Edinburgh Wanderers),
R. A. Cadzow (Edinburgh Wanderers), H. L. McKill (Watsonians), W. S. Glen (Edinburgh Wanderers), S. T. H. Wright (Stewart's College F.P),
Douglas Elliot (Edinburgh Academicals)

South: A. D. Little (Selkirk), S. S. Cowan (Selkirk), J. Cowan (Selkirk), R. G. Charters (Hawick), J. Hume (Kelso), J. M. Maxwell (Langholm),
J. Wright (Hawick), L. Hastie (Kelso), J. H. F. King (Selkirk), J. Johnston (Melrose), J. J. Hegarty (Hawick), A. Robson (Hawick), J. Grant (Hawick). G. K. Smith (Kelso)

Round 2

7 October 1953
South 9 6 Glasgow District
Try: J. Telford
J.J. Hegarty
J.M. Maxwell
Preview
Report
Try: J. L. Blackwood
Pen: J.W.Y Kemp
Mansfield Park, Hawick
Referee: J.A.S. Taylor (Musselburgh)

South: R. Chisholm (Melrose), W. R. Scott (Hawick), S. S. Cowan (Selkirk), J. L. Allan (Melrose), R. W. Notman (Jedforest),
J. M. Maxwell (Langholm), J. Wright (Hawick), R. L. Wilson (Gala) (captain), J. Telford (Langholm), J. M. Inglis (Selkirk), J. J. Hegarty (Hawick),
J. Johnston (Melrose), A. Robson (Hawick), D. M. Brown (Melrose), G. K. Smith (Kelso)

Glasgow District: D. McIntyre (Glasgow HSFP), R. D. Unkles (Glasgow HSFP), A. D. Cameron (Hillhead High School F.P) (captain), Donald Cameron (Glasgow HSFP), G. N. McKenzie (Greenock Wanderers), I. Cameron (Jordanhill School F.P.), A.A.W. Waddell (Glasgow Academicals), R. A. Brechin (Glasgow Academicals), J. Cassells (Greenock Wanderers), J. C. Dawson (Glasgow Academicals), J. W. Y. Kemp (Glasgow HSFP), A. Gilchrist (West of Scotland), J. D. Rollo (Glasgow HSFP), J. P. Friebe (Glasgow HSFP), J. L. Blackwood (Glasgow Academicals)

Round 3

24 October 1953
North 15 39 Edinburgh District
Try: E. H. Cruickhank
J. R. Andrew
Pen: E. H. Cruickhank x 2
W. D. Allardice
Preview
Report
Try: I. W. Nicholl x 2
L. B. Mackenzie x 2
Jim Davidson x 2
J. S. Glen x 2
Con: Norman Mair x 6
Pen: Norman Mair
North Inch, Perth
Referee: R. G. Nicolson (Gala)

North: W. Thomson (St. Andrews University), E. H. Cruickshank (Aberdeen GSFP), P. G. Younie (Aberdeen Wanderers), A. R. Pate (Highland),
D. J. McPherson (Gordonians), J. M. Anderson (St. Andrews University), W. D. Allerdice (Aberdeen GSFP) (captain), A. A. Tullett (Gordonians),
A. S. Hay (Perthshire Academicals), F. H. More (Perthshire Academicals), C. D. Mowat (Aberdeen GSFP), J. R. Andrew (Harris F.P.),
J. Greenwood (Dunfermline), K. J. Donaldson (Perthshire Academicals), J. K. Mearns (Panmure)

Edinburgh District: D. H. Crighton (Royal HSFP), I. W. Nicoll (Royal HSFP), L. B. Mackenzie (Royal HSFP), G. T. Ross (Watsonians), T. G. Weatherstone (Stewart's F.P.), Jim Davidson (Edinburgh University), G. S. Morgan (Melville F. P.), T. A. Herdman (Melville F. P.),
Norman Mair (Edinburgh University), F. McLachlan (Edinburgh Wanderers), R. A. Cadzow (Edinburgh Wanderers), H. L. McKill (Watsonians),
W. S. Glen (Edinburgh Wanderers), S. T. H. Wright (Stewart's F. P.), Douglas Elliot (Edinburgh Academicals) (captain)

Round 4

31 October 1953
Glasgow District 22 5 North
Try: A. D. Cameron
A. A. W. Waddell
A. S. Headrick
Con: J. W. Y. Kemp
Angus Cameron
Pen: Angus Cameron
Drop: A. A. W. Waddell
Angus Cameron
Preview
Report
Try: C. D. Mowat
Con: W. D. Allardice
Old Anniesland
Referee: W.C.W. Murdoch (Hillhead HSFP)

Glasgow District: Angus Cameron (Glasgow HSFP), A. M. Smith (Glasgow University), A. D. Cameron (Hillhead HSFP),
A. S. Headrick (Glasgow Academicals), A. G. Campbell (Kelvinside Academicals), Donald Cameron (Glasgow HSFP),
A. A. W. Waddell (Glasgow Academicals), F. I. Hogarth (West of Scotland), J. Cassells (Greenock Wanderers),
J.C. Dewar (Glasgow Academicals), J. W. Y. Kemp (Glasgow HSFP), I. A. A. McGregor (Hillhead HSFP), J. D. Rollo (Glasgow HSFP),
M. Chisholm (Glasgow HSFP), R. C. Taylor (Kelvinside Academicals) (captain)

North: W. Thomson (St. Andrews University), K. M. Cruickshank (Aberdeen GSFP), P. J. Younie (Aberdeen Wanderers),
J. H. Meldrum (Kirkcaldy), D. J. McPherson (Gordonians), A. R. Pate (Highland), W. D. Allardice (Aberdeen GSFP), (captain), A. A. Tullet (Gordonians), C. W. Bravin (Dunfermline), F. H. Moore (Perthshire Academicals),
C. D. Mowat (Aberdeen GSFP), D. N. Georgeson (Aberdeen GSFP), J. Greenwood (Dunfermline), K. J. Donaldson (Perthshire Academicals),
A. I. Cheyne (Aberdeen University)

Round 5

14 November 1953
North 8 27 South
Try: D. J. McPherson
J. Greenwood
Con: W. D. Allardice
Preview
Report
Try: R. G. Charters x 2
R. B. Notman
J. M. Maxwell
J. L. Allan
A. F. Dorward
Con: J. L. Allan x 3
Pen: J. L. Allan
University Park, St. Andrews
Referee: R.M. Morrison (Watsonians)

North: W. Thomson (St. Andrews University) (captain), E. H. Cruickshank (Aberdeen GSFP), P. J. Younie (Aberdeen Wanderers),
A. M. Nicoll (Harris Academy F. P), D. J. McPherson (Gordonians), F. J. Whitehurst (St. Andrews University), W. D. Allardice (Aberdeen GSFP),
A. A. Tullett (Gordonians), C. W. Bravin (Dunfermline), F. H. Moore (Perthshire Academicals), C. D. Mowat (Aberdeen GSFP),
D. N. Georgeson (Aberdeen GSFP), J. Greenwood (Dunfermline), E. J. S. Michie (Aberdeen University), J. K. Mearns (Panmure)

South: J. R. McCredie (Hawick), R. B. Notman (Jedforest), R. G. Charters (Hawick), J. L. Allan (Melrose) (captain), S. S. Cowan (Selkirk), J. M. Maxwell (Langholm), A. F. Dorward (Gala), H. McLeod (Hawick), J. H. F. King (Selkirk), J. M. Inglis (Selkirk), J. J. Hegarty (Hawick), T. Elliot (Gala), A. Robson (Hawick), D. M. Brown (Melrose), G. K. Smith (Kelso)

Round 6

12 December 1953
Glasgow District 0 6 Edinburgh District
1st Preview
Postponement
2nd Preview
Report
Try: T. P. L. McGlashan
G. T. Ross
Old Anniesland
Referee: A. L. Dickie (Gala)

Glasgow District: Angus Cameron (Glasgow HSFP), A. G. Campbell (Kelvinside Academicals), Donald Cameron (Glasgow HSFP),
A. D. Cameron (Hillhead HSFP), T. R. S. Ferguson (Hillhead HSFP), J. A. Ferguson (Hillhead HSFP) (captain),
A. A. W. Waddell (Glasgow Academicals), J. D. Rollo (Glasgow HSFP), J. Cassells (Greenock Wanderers), J. C. Dawson (Glasgow Academicals), J. W. Y. Kemp (Glasgow HSFP), W. F. Morton (West of Scotland), J. P. Friebe (Glasgow HSFP), J. L. Blackwood (Glasgow Academicals)

Edinburgh District: D. H. Crighton (Watsonians), T. G. Weatherstone (Stewart's College F.P.), K. R. McDonald (Stewart's College F.P),
Jim Davidson (Edinburgh University), D. M. Scott (Watsonians), G. T. Ross (Watsonians), J. R. Glen (Edinburgh Wanderers),
T. P. L. McGlashan (Royal High School F.P), Norman Mair (Edinburgh University), F. McLachlan (Edinburgh Wanderers),
H. L. McKill (Watsonians), R. A. Cadzow (Edinburgh Wanderers), J. S. Ure (Edinburgh Wanderers), S. T. H. Wright (Stewart's College F. P.),
Douglas Elliot (Edinburgh Academicals) (captain)

References

  1. Midlands First and Last. John Methven. H.B Rutherford publishers. 1989
  2. "The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search".
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/12/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.