Scottish Exiles (rugby union)

Scottish Exiles is a select provincial rugby union team that draws its players mainly from England; however, this draw also extends to any Scots diaspora rugby players playing outside Scotland.^[1]

This 'non-native' district side was formerly called the Anglo-Scots but changed its name so to include Scottish rugby union players playing anywhere outside Scotland.

Formation

Formed as the Anglo-Scots it was treated by the Scottish Rugby Union as a distinct non-native District side.

• Anglo-Scots v South 25 December 1898 match report

Touring sides

The Anglo-Scots often played matches against international and non-international touring teams.

Scottish Inter-District Championship

The Scottish Inter-District Championship was established in the 1953–54 season. The Glasgow District, Edinburgh, South and North and Midlands sides would play off to see which district was best in Scotland. The Anglo-Scots District joined the Inter-District Championship from 1981.^[2]

Change to Scottish Exiles

With many Scottish players now playing further abroad than England, notably in France, the team's name was changed to better reflect the diaspora it represented in 1993.

Effect of professionalism

With the advent of professionalism in 1995, the Scottish Rugby Union realised that not even the best semi-professional Scottish club teams could compete in the new Professional Era in rugby union, which was beginning to gain great momentum in the professional leagues of the Southern Hemisphere and the Northern Hemisphere.

In an attempt to stay in touch with the leading nations the SRU formed four professional teams out of the four native amateur districts of Scotland in 1996. It was these newly professional teams that would represent Scotland in the Heineken Cup and in the Celtic League.

This meant the Scottish Exiles side was then excluded from the subsequent professional Scottish Inter-District Championship, as it's players were generally based in English professional sides.

The Scottish Exiles side still plays and is used as a gateway for recognition for Scottish-Qualified players, particularly in England, to signal their availability and desire to play for the Scottish national team.^[3]

Honours

Won Scottish Inter-District Championship: 2 (Season 1994–95 and Season 1995–96).

These were the last two seasons before the Scottish professional rugby union era began in season 1996–97.

Partial list of games played against international opposition

• 14 November 1979 Anglo Scots v New Zealand, Dundee
• 21 September 1982 Anglo Scots v Fiji, Hughenden Stadium, Glasgow

References