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Calcutta Cup

The Calcutta Cup is the trophy awarded to the winner of the rugby match between England and Scotland played annually in the Six Nations Championship. Like the match itself (England–Scotland), the Calcutta Cup is the oldest trophy contested between any two international rugby union teams, pre-dating the Bledisloe Cup (Australia–New Zealand) by more than half a century. It is also the oldest of several trophies awarded under the umbrella of the Six Nations Championship, which include the Millennium Trophy (England–Ireland), Centenary Quaich (Ireland–Scotland), Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy (France–Italy), Auld Alliance Trophy (France–Scotland), the Doddie Weir Cup (Scotland–Wales) and the Cuttitta Cup (Italy–Scotland).

Calcutta Cup
SportRugby union
Awarded forWinner of England–Scotland fixture[a]
Country England
 Scotland
History
First award10 March 1879; 145 years, 259 days ago
Editions129
Most wins England (82)[b]
Most recent Scotland (2024)

History

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Calcutta Club

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On Christmas Day in 1872 a game of rugby union football was played in Calcutta, British India by a group of forty people (twenty-a-side), with one team representing England and the other Scotland.[1][c] Following this match, and the growth of British Sport in India, the Calcutta Rugby Football Club was formally established in January the following year by expats, former students of Rugby School,[2] and soldiers of the Royal East Kent Regiment.[3][4] In 1874, the club joined the Rugby Football Union (RFU).[1][4][5] By 1878, the club’s diminishing members withdrew club funds, a total of ₹270,[d] and had them melted down to make a trophy.[1][4][5] The trophy was presented by the club to the RFU and was used as “the best means of doing some lasting good for the cause of Rugby Football.”[4]

The cup

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The domed lid is surmounted by an elephant which is, it is said, copied from the Viceroy's own stock. The inscription on the Cup's wooden base reads: The Calcutta Cup.[3]

There is an anomaly in the recording of the winning country on the base of the Cup. It was first played for in 1879, but the plinth shows records extending back to the first international in 1871.

While the original was handmade by Indian craftsmen, the replicas were made using modern technology.

In 1988 the cup was damaged by the antics of some drunken players, including England number eight Dean Richards and Scotland flanker John Jeffrey who played football with the Calcutta Cup along Princes Street in Edinburgh. Jeffrey received a six-month ban from the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), whilst Richards was given a one-match sentence from England.[6]

Competition

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Despite the initial request of the Calcutta Club that the trophy be used as rugby's answer to football's FA Cup, the RFU refused to turn the Calcutta Cup into a knock-out competition for English club sides. They believed that "competitiveness" ran against the amateur ethos and instead decided that a game should be played each year between England and Scotland and whoever wins should keep it for that year. The first Calcutta Cup match was played at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, on 10 March 1879 and ended in a draw; Scotland scored a drop goal and England a goal. The following year on 28 February 1880 England became the first winners of the Calcutta Cup when they defeated Scotland by two goals & three tries to one goal in Manchester. Matches have continued on an annual basis except for two interruptions due to the World Wars between 1915–1919 and 1940–1946.

As of 2024, 131 Calcutta Cup matches have taken place. Currently, this game is the annual match between the two nations in the Six Nations Championship. The ground alternates between Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh (on even years) and Twickenham Stadium in London (on odd years).

In 2004, the two countries' rugby governing bodies, the Rugby Football Union (England) and the Scottish Rugby Union, were considering a plan to add a second Calcutta Cup fixture each year, outside the Six Nations Championship. The second fixture would be hosted by the away nation in the Six Nations fixture of the same year. Under that plan, one nation would have to win both matches to take the Cup off its current holder. Due to a largely unfavourable reaction, the proposal was dropped.

Results

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Results summary

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Year Date Winner Score Stadium and location Holder (aggregate times held)
1879 10 March draw (0) 1G–1G (1T) Raeburn Place, Edinburgh —
1880 28 February   England (1) (5T) 2G–1G (1T) Whalley Range, Manchester   England (2)
1881 19 March draw (2T) 1G–1G (1T) Raeburn Place, Edinburgh
1882 4 March   Scotland (1) (0) 0G–0G (2T) Whalley Range, Manchester   Scotland (1)
1883 3 March   England (2) (1T) 0G–0G (2T) Raeburn Place, Edinburgh   England (7)
1884 1 March   England (3) (1T) 1G–0G (1T) Rectory Field, Blackheath
1885 Not played
1886 13 March draw (0) 0G–0G (0) Raeburn Place, Edinburgh
1887 5 March draw (1T) 0G–0G (1T) Whalley Range, Manchester
1888 Not played
1889
1890 1 March   England (4) 0–6 Raeburn Place, Edinburgh
1891 7 March   Scotland (2) 3–9 Athletic Ground, Richmond   Scotland (2)
1892 5 March   England (5) 0–5 Raeburn Place, Edinburgh   England (8)
1893 4 March   Scotland (3) 0–8 Headingley Stadium, Leeds   Scotland (6)
1894 17 March   Scotland (4) 6–0 Raeburn Place, Edinburgh
1895 9 March   Scotland (5) 3–6 Athletic Ground, Richmond
1896 14 March   Scotland (6) 11–0 Cathkin Park, Glasgow
1897 13 March   England (6) 12–3 Fallowfield Stadium, Manchester   England (10)
1898 12 March draw 3–3 Powderhall Stadium, Edinburgh
1899 11 March   Scotland (7) 0–5 Rectory Field, Blackheath   Scotland (9)
1900 10 March draw 0–0 Inverleith, Edinburgh
1901 9 March   Scotland (8) 3–18 Rectory Field, Blackheath
1902 15 March   England (7) 3–6 Inverleith, Edinburgh   England (11)
1903 21 March   Scotland (9) 6–10 Athletic Ground, Richmond   Scotland (12)
1904 19 March   Scotland (10) 6–3 Inverleith, Edinburgh
1905 18 March   Scotland (11) 0–8 Athletic Ground, Richmond
1906 17 March   England (8) 3–9 Inverleith, Edinburgh   England (12)
1907 16 March   Scotland (12) 3–8 Rectory Field, Blackheath   Scotland (15)
1908 21 March   Scotland (13) 16–10 Inverleith, Edinburgh
1909 20 March   Scotland (14) 8–18 Athletic Ground, Richmond
1910 19 March   England (9) 5–14 Inverleith, Edinburgh   England (14)
1911 18 March   England (10) 13–8 Twickenham Stadium, London
1912 16 March   Scotland (15) 8–3 Inverleith, Edinburgh   Scotland (16)
1913 15 March   England (11) 3–0 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (21)
1914 21 March   England (12) 15–16 Inverleith, Edinburgh
1915 Not played due to World War I
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920 20 March   England (13) 13–4 Twickenham Stadium, London
1921 19 March   England (14) 0–18 Inverleith, Edinburgh
1922 18 March   England (15) 11–5 Twickenham Stadium, London
1923 17 March   England (16) 6–8 Inverleith, Edinburgh
1924 15 March   England (17) 19–0 Twickenham Stadium, London
1925 21 March   Scotland (16) 14–11 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (19)
1926 20 March   Scotland (17) 9–17 Twickenham Stadium, London
1927 19 March   Scotland (18) 21–13 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1928 17 March   England (18) 6–0 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (22)
1929 16 March   Scotland (19) 12–6 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (22)
1930 16 March draw 0–0 Twickenham Stadium, London
1931 21 March   Scotland (20) 28–19 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1932 19 March   England (19) 16–3 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (23)
1933 18 March   Scotland (21) 3–0 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (23)
1934 17 March   England (20) 6–3 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (24)
1935 16 March   Scotland (22) 10–7 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (24)
1936 21 March   England (21) 9–8 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (26)
1937 20 March   England (22) 3–6 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1938 19 March   Scotland (23) 16–21 Twickenham Stadium, London   Scotland (25)
1939 18 March   England (23) 6–9 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   England (28)
1940 Not played due to World War II
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947 15 March   England (24) 24–5 Twickenham Stadium, London
1948 20 March   Scotland (24) 6–3 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (26)
1949 19 March   England (25) 6–3 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (29)
1950 18 March   Scotland (25) 13–11 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (27)
1951 17 March   England (26) 5–3 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (42)
1952 15 March   England (27) 3–19 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1953 21 March   England (28) 26–8 Twickenham Stadium, London
1954 20 March   England (29) 3–13 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1955 19 March   England (30) 9–6 Twickenham Stadium, London
1956 17 March   England (31) 6–11 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1957 16 March   England (32) 16–3 Twickenham Stadium, London
1958 15 March draw 3–3 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1959 21 March draw 3–3 Twickenham Stadium, London
1960 19 March   England (33) 12–21 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1961 18 March   England (34) 6–0 Twickenham Stadium, London
1962 17 March draw 3–3 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1963 16 March   England (35) 10–8 Twickenham Stadium, London
1964 21 March   Scotland (26) 15–6 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (30)
1965 20 March draw 3–3 Twickenham Stadium, London
1966 19 March   Scotland (27) 6–3 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1967 18 March   England (36) 27–14 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (45)
1968 16 March   England (37) 6–8 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1969 15 March   England (38) 8–3 Twickenham Stadium, London
1970 21 February   Scotland (28) 14–5 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (33)
1971 20 March   Scotland (29) 15–16 Twickenham Stadium, London
1972 18 March   Scotland (30) 23–9 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1973 17 March   England (39) 15–16 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (46)
1974 2 February   Scotland (31) 16–14 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (34)
1975 15 March   England (40) 7–6 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (47)
1976 21 February   Scotland (32) 22–12 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (35)
1977 15 January   England (41) 26–6 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (53)
1978 4 March   England (42) 0–15 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1979 3 February draw 7–7 Twickenham Stadium, London
1980 15 March   England (43) 18–30 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1981 21 February   England (44) 23–17 Twickenham Stadium, London
1982 16 January draw 9–9 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1983 5 March   Scotland (33) 12–22 Twickenham Stadium, London   Scotland (37)
1984 4 February   Scotland (34) 18–6 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1985 16 March   England (45) 10–7 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (54)
1986 15 February   Scotland (35) 33–6 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (38)
1987 4 April   England (46) 21–12 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (57)
1988 5 March   England (47) 6–9 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1989 4 February draw 12–12 Twickenham Stadium, London
1990 17 March   Scotland (36) 13–7 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (39)
1991 16 February   England (48) 21–12 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (66)
1992 18 January   England (49) 7–25 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1993 6 March   England (50) 26–12 Twickenham Stadium, London
1994 5 February   England (51) 14–15 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1995 18 March   England (52) 24–12 Twickenham Stadium, London
1996 2 March   England (53) 9–18 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1997 1 February   England (54) 41–13 Twickenham Stadium, London
1998 22 March   England (55) 20–34 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
1999 20 February   England (56) 24–21 Twickenham Stadium, London
2000 2 April   Scotland (37) 19–13 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (40)
2001 3 March   England (57) 43–3 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (71)
2002 2 February   England (58) 3–29 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
2003 22 March   England (59) 40–9 Twickenham Stadium, London
2004 21 February   England (60) 13–35 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
2005 19 March   England (61) 43–22 Twickenham Stadium, London
2006 25 February   Scotland (38) 18–12 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (41)
2007 3 February   England (62) 42–20 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (72)
2008 8 March   Scotland (39) 15–9 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (42)
2009 21 March   England (63) 26–12 Twickenham Stadium, London   England (81)
2010 13 March draw 15–15 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
2011 13 March   England (64) 22–16 Twickenham Stadium, London
2012 4 February   England (65) 6–13 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
2013 2 February   England (66) 38–18 Twickenham Stadium, London
2014 8 February   England (67) 0–20 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
2015 14 March   England (68) 25–13 Twickenham Stadium, London
2016 6 February   England (69) 9–15 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
2017 11 March   England (70) 61–21 Twickenham Stadium, London
2018 24 February   Scotland (40) 25–13 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   Scotland (44)
2019 16 March draw 38–38 Twickenham Stadium, London
2020 8 February   England (71) 6–13 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh   England (82)
2021 6 February   Scotland (41) 6–11 Twickenham Stadium, London   Scotland (48)
2022 5 February   Scotland (42) 20–17 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
2023 4 February   Scotland (43) 23–29 Twickenham Stadium, London
2024 24 February   Scotland (44) 30–21 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

Records

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The current record number of points scored by a player in a Calcutta Cup game was set by Jonny Wilkinson in 2007 when he scored 27 points (1 try, 2 conversions, 5 penalties, 1 drop goal). The previous record of 24 points was held by Rob Andrew.

Other Calcutta Cups

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The Other Calcutta Cup Trophy

In 1884, Calcutta Cricket and Football Club again set up a rugby section and in 1890 set up an inter club trophy, the Calcutta Rugby Union Challenge Cup, promptly christened the Calcutta Cup.[7][8]

The 2007 edition of the Cup was held by Jungle Crows, in which Future Hope Harlequins defeated CC&FC in final.[9] The second division trophy was won by Calcutta Cricket and Football Club Panthers.[9]

The original and oldest Calcutta Cup is a silver trophy played for annually by the members of Royal Blackheath Golf Club. It was a gift from the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in response to the presentation of a medal given by Blackheath. It is made from melted down silver rupees, reputedly from the same batch of melted down silver rupees as the Rugby Union Cup played for between England and Scotland. The cup arrived in London in 1875. It was first played for in December 1875 three years before the first Calcutta Cup match between England and Scotland. The Cup held by Royal Blackheath Golf Club has only 2 handles unlike the well known Calcutta Cup. It is only in recent years that the history of the original Calcutta Cup has been appreciated by sporting historians.

Royal Blackheath Golf Club members had close links with Blackheath Football Club (Rugby) which was one of the most prominent clubs in the early years of the Rugby Football Union. Members of both clubs served in India in the 1870s. This link is the most likely explanation for the creation of a similar cup being created by the Calcutta Rugby Club a few years later and becoming the world-famous Calcutta Cup.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual one-off England–Scotland fixture played in the Six Nations Championship.
  2. ^ The number given is the figure of how many times the team has won the Calcutta Cup; in the event of a draw, the most recent winner of a Calcutta Cup encounter is designated the winner and retains the trophy.
  3. ^ Although the match has often been said to represent England and Scotland, it has also been reported to have been representative of England and the other Home Nations.[1]
  4. ^ Equivalent to ₹equivalent to $91,319 in 2023 in 2020.
  5. ^ Aggregate games each team has held the cup.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "The Story of the Calcutta Cup". keithprowse.co.uk. Keith Prowse. 11 March 2019. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. ^ Milne, Alex; Crump, James (8 February 2020). "Why is England vs Scotland called the Calcutta Cup? Six Nations 2020 clash explained". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b "The History of the Calcutta Cup". scottishrugby.org. Scottish Rugby Union (SRU). Archived from the original on 3 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d Johnson, Ben. "The Calcutta Cup". historic-uk.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-25. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
  5. ^ a b "History of the Calcutta Cup". englandrugby.com. Rugby Football Union (RFU). 3 February 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  6. ^ "The Calcutta Cup goes kickabout". ESPNscrum. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Calcutta Cricket and Football Club history". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
  8. ^ "How rugby is still thriving in Kolkata, birthplace of the historic Calcutta Cup". scroll.in. SCROLL. AFP. 11 September 2019. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  9. ^ a b Hyde, Nick (2007-08-06). "FUTURE HOPE HARLEQUINS RETAIN CALCUTTA CUP". scrum.com. Archived from the original on 2007-10-23. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

Further reading

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