The Edinburgh Gunners are one of three professional rugby union teams in Scotland, the Border Reivers and Glasgow Warriors being the other two. They play at Murrayfield Stadium (capacity 67,500, although only the West Stand is open for Gunners matches), and their captain is Chris Paterson. Image from a test-match between Ireland and the New Zealand All Blacks. ... Borders Rugby has many long and proud traditions, the Borders league was the first rugby union league to be set up. ... The Glasgow Warriors, formerly Glasgow Rugby, are one of three professional rugby union teams in Scotland, the Edinburgh Gunners and Border Reivers being the other two. ... Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh (capacity 67,500) is the home of Scottish Rugby and a name known throughout the rugby world. ... Chris Paterson celebrates 50 Scottish caps Chris Mossy Paterson was born on March 30, 1978 in Edinburgh. ...

History

Edinburgh Rugby were created to compete in the Heineken Cup as the SRU did not think that Scottish club sides could compete against the best teams from France and England. The Heineken Cup sponsored by Heineken (known as the H Cup in France due to alcohol advertising laws) is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. ... Registered logo of Scottish Rugby Union - used with permission The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. ...

Due to the SRU's high debt, partly as a result of the redevelopment of Murrayfield Stadium, retrenchment was called for. After two seasons, Edinburgh merged with the Border Reivers to form a team to be known as Edinburgh Reivers. From the 2001-02 season, the Reivers label was dropped and the team were simply known as Edinburgh Rugby, nicknamed The Gunners. For the 2005-06 season, the team incorporated the nickname into their official name, becoming the Edinburgh Gunners. Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh (capacity 67,500) is the home of Scottish Rugby and a name known throughout the rugby world. ...

The issue of crowd sizes returned at the 1999 World Cup, by which time a Welsh/Scottish League had been established - essentially the Welsh First Division with the two Scottish sides tacked on.

The Celtic League, begun in the autumn of 2001, has been a more attractive competition for players and public alike. The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving regional sides from Ireland, Scotland and Wales, seen by many as the third major league in Europe, after the English Guinness Premiership and the French TOP 14. ...

Edinburgh's best achievement to date has been to make the final of the 2003/4 Celtic Cup and to make it out of the group stages of the 2003/4 Heineken Cup. The Heineken Cup sponsored by Heineken (known as the H Cup in France due to alcohol advertising laws) is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. ...

Famous players

• Todd Blackadder - also coach
• Nathan Hines - left for Perpignan in 2005
• Brendan Laney - left for Yamaha Jubilo in March 2005
• Scott Murray
• Chris Paterson
• Simon Taylor
• Mike Blair
• Marcus di Rollo
• Ally Hogg
• Hugo Southwell

Todd Blackadder (born September 20, 1971) was a prominent and popular New Zealand rugby player in the 1990s. ... Nathan Hines is an Australian-born rugby player who plays at lock for Edinburgh Rugby and the Scotland national rugby union team. ... Brendan James Laney was born on November 16, 1973 in Invercargill. ... Yamaha Jubilo rugby union team came second behind Toshiba Brave Lupus in the second season of Japanese rugbys Top League (2004-5). ... Scott Murray (born 15 January 1976) is a rugby union player who plays at Lock for Edinburgh and Scotland. ... Chris Paterson celebrates 50 Scottish caps Chris Mossy Paterson was born on March 30, 1978 in Edinburgh. ... Simon Marcus Taylor , professional rugby union player, (Heriots FP and Edinburgh Rugby) Back-row forward, usually a number eight. ... Michael Robert Leighton Blair (born April 20, 1981 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish rugby union footballer. ... Marcus Di Rollo Scotland were grateful for the intervention of Marcus Di Rollo in the Autumn Test against Samoa in November. ...

See also

• Scottish Rugby Union
• Celtic League
• Heineken Cup
• European Rugby Shield

Registered logo of Scottish Rugby Union - used with permission The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. ... The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving regional sides from Ireland, Scotland and Wales, seen by many as the third major league in Europe, after the English Guinness Premiership and the French TOP 14. ... The Heineken Cup sponsored by Heineken (known as the H Cup in France due to alcohol advertising laws) is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. ... The European Challenge Cup in rugby union, known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003, is the sister competition to the Heineken Cup. ...

External links

• Official site
• Scottish rugby union fans forum