1953–54 Scottish Inter-District Championship

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

1953–54 Scottish Inter-District Championship
Countries Scotland
Date1953–54
ChampionsEdinburgh District
Runners-upSouth
Matches played6
Top point scorerNorman Mair (15)
Top try scorerI. W. Nicholl (2)
L. B. Mackenzie (2)
Jim Davidson (2)
J. S. Glen (2)
R. G. Charters (2)
J. M. Maxwell (2)

This season saw the first formal Scottish Inter-District Championship. 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 unfamiliar 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

Date Try Conversion Penalty Dropped goal Goal from mark Notes
1948–1970 3 points 2 points 3 points 3 points 3 points

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: Adam Austin (Glasgow HSFP)

Edinburgh District: D. H. Crighton (Watsonians), D. M. Scott (Watsonians), R. G. Baird (Watsonians), Tommy McClung (Edinburgh Academicals),
Grant Weatherstone (Stewart's College FP), 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), Jock King (Selkirk), Jimmie 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: Hamish Kemp
Mansfield Park, Hawick
Referee: J.A.S. Taylor (Musselburgh)

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

Glasgow District: D. McIntyre (Glasgow HSFP), R. D. Unkles (Glasgow HSFP), Allan 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), Hamish Kemp (Glasgow HSFP), A. Gilchrist (West of Scotland), J. D. Rollo (Glasgow HSFP), Percy 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), Grant Weatherstone (Stewart's College FP), 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: Allan Cameron
A. A. W. Waddell
A. S. Headrick
Con: Hamish 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), Allan 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), Hamish 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
Les Allan
A. F. Dorward
Con: Les Allan x 3
Pen: Les 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), Ernie Michie (Aberdeen University), J. K. Mearns (Panmure)

South: J. R. McCredie (Hawick), R. B. Notman (Jedforest), R. G. Charters (Hawick), Les Allan (Melrose) (captain), S. S. Cowan (Selkirk), J. M. Maxwell (Langholm), A. F. Dorward (Gala), H. McLeod (Hawick), Jock King (Selkirk), Jim 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),
Allan Cameron (Hillhead HSFP), T. E. 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), Hamish Kemp (Glasgow HSFP), W. F. Morton (West of Scotland), Percy Friebe (Glasgow HSFP), J. L. Blackwood (Glasgow Academicals)

Edinburgh District: D. H. Crighton (Watsonians), Grant Weatherstone (Stewart's College FP), K. R. McDonald (Stewart's College FP),
Jim Davidson (Edinburgh University), Donald 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 FP),
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".
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