The Co-Optimist Rugby Club is an invitational rugby union club founded in 1924 by Jock Wemyss, the former Scottish test player, together with George St Claire Murray, a rugby enthusiast from the Watsonians club.
The Co-Optimists have played against national fifteen-a-side teams including , and in the 1980s. The club also has a notable history at the Hong Kong Sevens tournament, finishing as runner-up to Fiji in 1980, as a semi-finalist against Australia in 1981, and a quarter-finalist in 1986.
Club colours and emblem The club colours are a navy blue jersey with white shorts and navy and white hooped socks. The Co-Optimist badge is a lion couchant in blue on a white background.
Notable players
Many well-known international players have represented the club including: Finlay Calder, Jonathan Davies, Mike Gibson, Gavin Hastings, Scott Hastings, Andy Irvine, Dickie Jeeps, John Jeffrey, Tom Kiernan, Ian McGeechan, Doddie Weir, Tony O'Reilly and Rob Wainwright.
Partial list of games played against international opposition
XVs
YearDateOpponentVenueResultScoreTour 1979 14 October South African BarbariansMansfield Park, Hawick Win 24 - 4 Report1989 6 April Soviet StudentsMeggetland Sports Complex, Edinburgh Win 17 - 15 Report
Sevens
YearDateOpponentVenueResultScoreTour 1980 12 April Canada 7s Hong Kong Win 1980 12 April Australia 7s Hong Kong Win 1980 13 April New Zealand 7s Hong Kong Win 1980 13 April Fiji 7s Hong Kong Loss 8 - 12 Report 1981 28 March Indonesia 7s Hong Kong Win 22 - 6 Report 1981 28 March Singapore 7s Hong Kong Win 22 - 4 Report 1981 29 March Australia 7s Hong Kong Loss 10 - 18 Report 1986 5 April Papua New Guinea 7s Hong Kong Win 26 - 0 Report1986 5 April Canada 7s Hong Kong Win 14 - 8 Report1986 6 April French Barbarians Hong Kong Loss 10 - 22 Report
Honours
Melrose Sevens Champions (1): 1993 Langholm Sevens Champions (1): 1936 Jed-Forest Sevens Champions (1): 1940 Selkirk Sevens Champions (4): 1937, 1938, 1947, 1975 Edinburgh Charity Sevens Champions (2): 1939, 1960 Edinburgh Borderers Sevens Champions (1): 1925 Glasgow High Kelvinside Sevens Champions (1): 1984
References