The Scotland national rugby league team represent Scotland in international rugby league football tournaments.Scotland RL – Play For Scotland Retrieved on 7 February 2008. Following the break-up of the Great Britain team in 2007,The Guardian – Morley Prepares To Bid Great Britain Farewell Retrieved on 24 July 2008. Scottish players play solely for Scotland, apart from occasional Southern Hemisphere tours, for which the Great Britain team is expected to be revived.The Rugby Football League – Great Britain Split Retrieved on 7 February 2008. The team is nicknamed the Bravehearts.2008 World Cup – Scotland Retrieved on 23 July 2008.
Though its foundations may date back to as early as 1904, the team formally began in 1995, making them the newest international rugby league team in Great Britain. In their first match they played Ireland, losing narrowly. Since then, Ireland has become the team's main rival, the two teams having played each other many times in their short histories. In 2000 they qualified for their first ever World Cup, but failed to make an impact, losing all three of their group matches;BBC Sport – An Unwanted Treble Retrieved on 22 July 2008, however, their biggest losing margin was just 12 points. Retrieved on 22 July 2008. In 2008 they beat Wales over two matches to qualify for the 2008 World Cup.The Independent – Scotland Rally To Claim World Cup Spot Retrieved on 22 July 2008.
Scotland play in a dark blue strip, similar to the nation's football and rugby union teams, with blue shirt, shorts and socks. A blue and white shield with a thistle, the Scottish emblem, is the team's badge. The shirt has rarely been significantly changed, although in the early days of the team, white was also used on the shirts.BBC Sport – Wednesday World Cup Pictures Retrieved on 22 July 2008.
, the team is ranked 27th in the IRL Men's World Rankings, with their highest ranking of fourth having been reached in 2016. Englishman Steve McCormack is the team's coach,Scotland RL – Mac Set For World Cup Retrieved on 22 July 2008. having coached since 2004,Rugby League World – Mac Planning Tartan Legacy, Issue 326, May 2008, Page 20. Retrieved on 24 July 2008. with Danny Brough captaining the side.Rugby League World – Brough 'N' Ready, Issue 328, July 2008, Page 18. Retrieved on 22 July 2008.
History
Foundations
It could be argued that the foundations for the Scottish team began in 1904. On 5 April 1904 England played an international match against the "Other Nationalities", a team of Welshmen and Scotsmen, in Wigan. Retrieved on 22 July 2008.Scotland RL – History Retrieved on 31 October 2008. It was a 12-a-side game. Of the twelve players who played for the Other Nationalities team two of them were Scotsmen coming from Northern Union clubs, including captain George Frater. After 80 minutes the Other Nationalities had beaten England 9–3. The team carried on for another two years, playing England in 1905, losing 26–11, and in 1906, drawing 3–3.England RL – A Proud Past. Retrieved on 22 July 2008. The team was regularly revived, most notably in the early 1930s, and in 1949.Hall Of Fame – Euro 1935 Retrieved on 1 October 2008.
1990s
The Wolfhounds
Both Scotland and Ireland had been developing rugby league in their respective nations for several years. This was especially true at student level, with a Scotland student team having played regularly since 1987University League – Scotland Retrieved on 23 July 2008. and having competed in the 1992 Students World Cup.University League – 1992 History Retrieved on 23 July 2008. But it was decided that the time was right for an open-age national team to attempt to be entered into an Emerging Nations Tournament that would coincide with the 1995 World Cup, that the Rugby League International Federation had recently announced.
Both Scotland Rugby League and Rugby League Ireland arranged a match on 13 August 1995 at the Royal Dublin Showground in Dublin, Ireland. However the Rugby Football League provided no financial support to either team.Rugby League Bravehearts – Dublin Début and the Emerging Nations, Page 39. Retrieved on 23 July 2008. Luckily the Scotland team managed to get sponsored, and the money was used for the ferry crossing, but each individual player had to pay for basic accommodation. The Scotland squad was largely made up of players who had played in the student squads, but a few professionals were also included.
Just before the start of the match, after the Scottish team had spent a night at a youth hostel, the Irish Rugby Football Union prevented the teams from getting changed at the arranged Blackrook College.Rugby League Bravehearts – Dublin Début and the Emerging Nations, Page 40. Retrieved on 23 July 2008. A new location was quickly found but it was half a mile away from the ground, and so the players had to walk that distance in their playing kit.
The match was looking like it would be scoreless at half-time until just before the break, centre Lee Child scored to put Ireland ahead. After the break Scotland hit back, Sean Cusack scoring Scotland's first ever try. Gavin Manclark then scored to propel Scotland into the lead. This did not last long though, as Leo Casey scored for Ireland in the 55th minute. Ireland then scored again, with Seamus McCallion going over. Four minutes later in the 69th minute, Scotland quickly scored two tries with Manclark and Shelford sealing the eight points. However, this was not enough as Ketteridge had only kicked three conversions compared to Ireland's Ian Devery who had kicked five. The match finished with Ireland winning 26–22, but Thompson for Scotland did win Man of the Match.
1995 Emerging Nations tournament
After this international Scotland were allowed to take part in the Emerging Nations Tournament, which was to be held in England. On 16 October 1995 at Featherstone they faced Russia, who had been playing international rugby league since 1991, in their opening game in Group A. Coached by former Great Britain and England (despite the fact he was Scottish) player, George Fairbairn,Hall Of Fame – George Fairbairn Retrieved on 23 July 2008. who put together a team of former Scotland students, rugby union players, and a few league professionals including Alan Tait,Rugby League Bravehearts – Dublin Début and the Emerging Nations, Page 41. Retrieved on 23 July 2008. who played for Leeds, and who would captain the side.Scotland International – Introduction Retrieved on 23 July 2008. The whole of the Scotland team had hired kilts to be worn pre-match.Rugby League Bravehearts – Dublin Début and the Emerging Nations, Page 42. Retrieved on 23 July 2008.
The game started off well for Scotland, student James How scoring after just four minutes.Rugby League Bravehearts – Dublin Début and the Emerging Nations, Page 43. Retrieved on 22 July 2008. And then minutes later Tait doubled the Bravehearts lead. But the Russia Bears dragged themselves back into the match, stand-off Victor Netchaev scoring first, and in the 30th minute Alexander Otradnov scored. Scotland were ahead though at half-time by four points because Russia had failed to convert their tries. In the second half it was all Scotland with only Andrey Scheglov's drop goal adding to the Bears points. On the other hand, former Great Britain international Hugh Waddell, Ali Blee and Tait again all scored to seal a Scottish victory.Scotland International – Emerging Nations Tournament Retrieved on 22 July 2008. Group One TableWLFAPTSCook Islands30143366Scotland2182464Russia12571182United States03481300 Scotland's second match was against the United States in Northampton, traditionally a rugby union city.Northampton Saints RU – Homepage Retrieved on 4 August 2008. The Tomahawks were made up of AMNRL players but Scotland took a while to get going. In the twelfth minute winger Rory Lewis unexpected put America ahead, which caused The Bravehearts to start playing well for the remainder of the first half, Scotland eventually going into the second half leading three tries to one. Graeme Thompson had kicked a penalty very early on in the game, and then after the America try added another four points. McAlister, who had missed the conversion, set up Ketteridge and Smith for Scotland's second and third tries respectively. The Bravehearts extended their lead in the second half, Shelford going over and then David Niu, who could have played for Scotland because of his Dunfermline born mother, got one back for the States. But Scotland put a victory beyond doubt with Alan Tait setting up Shelford twice for his hat-trick. Late in the game Niu and Steve Tait scored for the United States and Scotland respectively to end the match 38–16 in Scotland's favour.
Scotland's two victories, coupled with the Cook Islands ability to beat the United States and Russia too,Archives – 1995 Internationals Retrieved on 25 August 2008.Rugby League Planet – Cook Islands Retrieved on 25 August 2008. set up a deciding match in Castleford where the winner would reach the final. 3,000 people turned up to first see Thompson score a penalty after 15 minutes, but then Nigere Tariu slid over to put the Islanders ahead. Just before the break however, Tait charged through three players to put Scotland back in the game. In the second half the Cook Islands, with several NRL players in their ranks, showed their strength as Sonny Shepherd scored a controversial try as Scottish players complained about the grounding. From a play the ball Shepherd went over again and in the 73rd minute Tariu scored a converted try. The Bravehearts did get a late consolation, skipper Tait going over for Scotland's last try before Islander Ali Davys sealed Scotland's fate with a drop-goal. The match finished Scotland 10–21 Cook Islands. In the final the Cook Islands beat Ireland 22–6 in Bury to win the tournament and secure a place in the next World Cup.Rugby League Ireland – History Retrieved on 25 August 2008. Despite losing this final match the Scotland team and supporters thought that they had done very well considering how young the team was and how good their performances had been against Russia and the USA.
Glasgow matches
In 1996 the Rugby League International Federation rewarded Scotland with full international statusAllMediaScotland – Worlds First Mobile Barcoded Ticket Retrieved on 24 July 2008. which meant that they could start organising more fixtures and there was no longer a limit to the number of professionals they could use.Rugby League European Federation – Constitution Retrieved on 24 July 2008. Before this status Scotland had been restricted to playing just three professionals in a match.The Vault – 1995 Retrieved on 25 July 2008.
Scotland faced Ireland again in August of that year, and it was to be their first home game, with the match being played at the Firhill Stadium in Glasgow. After 5 minutes Alan Tait touched down with Matt Crowther converting. And then hooker Danny Russell and professional Darren Shaw gave the Bravehearts a 14–0 lead at half-time. In the second half after 52 minutes Lee Hanlon scored Ireland's only try of the match, but Martin Ketteridge soon kicked a penalty for Scotland to extend the lead. In the closing stages of the match, after three Irish players had been sin-binned, Darrall Shaleford and Nick Mardon got themselves on the scoreboard with a try each. The match finished Scotland 26–6 Ireland.The Vault – 1996 Retrieved on 25 July 2008. This is the only time in eight attempts that Scotland have beaten Ireland.