Dundee HSFP is a former rugby union team that played their home games at the Mayfield Playing Fields, Dundee, Scotland. The club disbanded in 2021.
The team was founded in 1880 by former pupils of the High School of Dundee. The men's side played in ; the women's side, known as the Dundee Valkyries, played in the until 2021 when the club merged with Morgan Rugby Club to form "Dundee Rugby Club".
History
Beginnings No doubt inspired by Abertay's Louis Auldjo, Dundee's first international rugby player, who had represented Scotland against England at the Oval in 1878, Dundee High School Former Pupils' Rugby Football Club was formed in 1880 by a group of schoolfriends and rugby aficionados, David Hynd, David Hutchison and Tom Ferguson, the principals of the affectionately monikered "Maryfield Gang" after the scrap of wasteland on which they would play after school. With no sport on the school curriculum in the 19th century, the boys passionately followed local teams Abertay and Red Cross and upon leaving school met in The Victoria coffee house on 23 November 1880 and decided to form their own team.
That meeting produced the first office bearers of the club:
1st XV
Captain: David M Hutchison Sub-Captain and Secretary: Thomas C Ferguson Treasurer: David Hynd Committee: Herbert Bell, James Martin, David Robertson
2nd XV
Captain: Alexander Hynd Sub-Captain: G. Stevenson Secretary: William Ross
The club changed to be no longer restricted to former pupils of the high school and was an open club.
Purchase
The club purchased Morgan Academy RFC to form a new club, Dundee Rugby Club, in 2021. One of the main reasons for the purchase was to rescue both clubs and prepare an unrealistic development plan to get the new club into the professional Super 6 league.
Sevens
The club ran the Dundee Sevens tournament. On the club's merger with Morgan in 2021 to form Dundee Rugby a new Sevens tournament began that year to announce the merger. The first winners of the Dundee City Sevens were Blazin’ Squad (Men) and the Howe Harlequins (Women).
Honours
Men's
Scottish National League Division One Champions (2): 2005–06, 2008–09 Scottish National League Division Two Champions (2): 1989–90, 2002–03 Orkney Sevens Champions (2): 2006, 2007 Glasgow University Sevens Champions (1): 1996 Glenrothes Sevens Champions (1): 1991 Midlands District Sevens Champions (5): 1926, 1930, 1964, 1991, 1992 Howe of Fife Sevens Champions (1): 1993 Stirling Sevens Champions (1): 1970
Women's
Mull Sevens Champions (1): 2012
Notable former players
Men's
Scotland national rugby union team
Stewart Campbell (17 caps) Alasdair Dickinson (58 caps) Iain Fullarton (6 caps) Sean Lamont (105 caps) David Leslie (31 caps, Rugby World's Player of the Year 1984, 5 Nations Grand Slam winner) Shaun Longstaff (15 caps) John Manson (1 cap) Jon Petrie (45 caps) George Ritchie (1 cap, first ever DHSFP player to be capped in 1932) Richie Vernon (24 caps)
British and Irish Lions
Andy Nicol (23 Scotland caps, European Cup 1997/98, World XV v NZ 1993) Chris Rea (13 Scotland caps) Tom Smith (60 Scotland caps) Rob Wainwright (34 Scotland caps)
Others
Frank Hadden – Former Scotland coach Jason Hewett – New Zealand international Jacob Rauluni – Fiji international Moses Rauluni – Fiji international Adam Russell – United States international
References
Sources
Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; )
External links
Dundee Rugby Club, successor