Heriot's Rugby Club

Heriot's Rugby Club, also known as Heriot's FP, is one of Scotland's senior rugby football clubs in the Scottish Rugby Union, whose 1st XV play in the Scottish Premiership. The club's home is Goldenacre in Edinburgh. The rugby club, founded in 1890, was originally intended for former pupils of George Heriot's School, but is now an open club, welcoming rugby fans of all levels.

The club had a very successful season in 2008–09, winning the Scottish Cup and coming in as runners up in Scottish Premier 1 league, qualifying for the new British and Irish Cup. The club's second and third senior squads were also very successful, winning their respective leagues.

Player development starts with a highly successful Mini/Midi Section and moves onto the senior levels. The club has coaching staff that are very well respected in Scottish rugby. Heriot's Rugby club are the only Scottish club never to have been relegated from the first division.

The team had the surprising honour of having a player, Chris Fusaro, called for Scotland A for the recent IRB Nations Cup, in 2010. He was the only amateur player called and it was announced that he was joining Glasgow Warriors.

Rugby football

Rugby football is a type of football developed at Rugby School in Rugby, Warwickshire, one of many versions of football played at English public schools in the 19th century. The two main types of rugby are rugby league and rugby union. Although these two forms share many elements, the two codes have gradually developed with distinct sets of rules.

Forms

History

The Ancient Greeks and Romans are known to have played many ball games, some of which involved the use of the feet. The Roman game harpastum is believed to have been adapted from a Greek team game known as "ἐπίσκυρος" (Episkyros) or "φαινίνδα" (phaininda), which is mentioned by a Greek playwright, Antiphanes (388–311 BC) and later referred to by the Christian theologian Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215 AD). These games appear to have resembled rugby football. The Roman politician Cicero (106–42 BC) describes the case of a man who was killed whilst having a shave when a ball was kicked into a barber's shop. Roman ball games already knew the air-filled ball, the follis.Episkyros is recognised as an early form of football by FIFA.

George Heriot's School

George Heriot's School is a Scottish independent primary and secondary school on Lauriston Place in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, with over 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff and 80 non-teaching staff. It was established in 1628 as George Heriot's Hospital, by bequest of the royal goldsmith George Heriot, and opened in 1659.

Architecture

The main building of the school is notable for its renaissance architecture, the work of William Wallace, until his death in 1631. He was succeeded as master mason by William Aytoun, who was succeeded in turn by John Mylne. In 1676, Sir William Bruce drew up plans for the completion of Heriot's Hospital. His design, for the central tower of the north façade, was eventually executed in 1693.

The school is a turreted building surrounding a large quadrangle, and built out of sandstone. The foundation stone is inscribed with the date 1628. The intricate decoration above each window is unique (with one paired exception - those on the ground floor either side of the now redundant central turret on the west side of the building). A statue of the founder can be found in a niche on the north side of the quadrangle.