Queen Margaret University RFC
| Full name | Queen Margaret University Rugby Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Musselburgh, Scotland | ||
| Ground(s) | Inch Park, Edinburgh | ||
| Captain(s) |  Adam Campbell and Imogen Rose | ||
| League(s) | Men: BUCS Scottish men's tier 4 Women: BUCS Scottish women's tier 2 | ||
| 2023/24 | Men: Did not compete Women: Did not compete | ||
| |||
| Official website | |||
| www | |||
| Union website | |||
| www | |||
Queen Margaret University RFC is a rugby union club based in Musselburgh, Scotland. The club operates a men's team[1] and a women's team.[2] Both currently play in the university leagues.
History
[edit]men’s rugby
[edit]The 2015/16 Scottish Conference 5A was won in spectacular fashion. Starting off the campaign with a tough 29-20 loss to Dundee and Angus College, the Queen Margaret Men's team bounced back and recorded 3 straight wins. Playing catch-up with Strathclyde 3XV for the majority of the season, QMU secured the league title in dramatic fashion; beating Strathclyde 3XV 35-0 at home and securing the title with a 10-10 draw at home to St Andrews 3XV in the final round of games. With both Queen Margaret and Strathclyde tied at 23 league table points each, QMU took 1st place on account of Points difference.[3]
| Pos | Team | Games | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | PD | TP | ||
| 1 | Queen Margaret | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | +91 | 23 |
| 2 | Strathclyde | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | +44 | 23 |
| 3 | Glasgow | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | +46 | 20 |
| 4 | St Andrews | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | +60 | 19 |
| 5 | West of Scotland | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | -145 | 5 |
| 6 | Dundee and Angus | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | –1 | 0 |
| 7 | GCU | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | –95 | -5 |
The most notable season in recent years for the men’s side would be the 2018/19 season, when they went unbeaten in the Scottish Conference 4A league. Capping off such an achievement with a 43-7 away win to the 4XV of Edinburgh University RFC.[4]
The Men's side train at 6pm-8pm on Mondays and 4pm-6pm on Wednesdays
women’s rugby
[edit]The QMU Women's team were established in 2016, when they played a series of friendly matches across the academic year.
Their first ever league games were in the 2017/18 season, when they joined the SRU leagues. Shortly before leaving and joining the BUCS leagues for the 2018/19 season.[5]
In May 2021, the women's side journeyed by foot from Musselburgh to Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh carrying a medical stretcher to raise funds for the Heads for Change charity; and to raise awareness of concussion in rugby union.[6]
The women's side train at 6.45pm to 8.15pm on Mondays at Inch Park.[7]
varsity
[edit]Every year towards the end of the season, both sides compete in varsity matches against Edinburgh Napier University RFC.[8]
The reason why they play against Napier is due to the similar historic roots that the universities have. Both Institutions started off as colleges that specialised in certain skills, before merging and expanding with several other colleges around Edinburgh across the 20th century. Varsity is used as a way to celebrate the origins of both universities and promote local rivalry in all sports played within their doors.[9][10]
Honours
[edit]Men
[edit]- Scottish Conference 4A[1]
- Champions (2): 2010–11, 2018–19
- Scottish Conference 5A[1]
- Champions (2): 2009–10, 2015–16
Notable former players
[edit]Men
[edit]Czechia
[edit]The following former Queen Margaret University RFC players have represented Czechia at senior international level.
Women
[edit]Ireland
[edit]The following former Queen Margaret University RFC players have represented Ireland at senior international level.
Royal Navy
[edit]The following former Queen Margaret University RFC players have represented The Royal Navy in senior rugby.
Former and current club presidents
[edit]Men
[edit]| Season(s) | Name |
|---|---|
2024-
|
Alexander Peden
|
2023-2024
|
Carl Brunslev 
|
2022-2023
|
Carl Brunslev
|
2021-2022
|
Cammy Wilson
|
2020-2021
|
Finlay Reith
|
2019-2020
|
Finlay Reith
|
2018-2019
|
Paul Jeffries
|
2017-2018
|
Paul Jeffries
|
Women
[edit]| Season(s) | Name |
|---|---|
2023-2024
|
Rebecca Hinton
|
2022-2023
|
Catherine Birch |
2021-2022
|
Gemma Stoddart 
|
2020-2021
|
Aasiyah Patankar
|
2019-2020
|
Inga Krohberger 
|
2018-2019
|
Alice Shields
|
2018
|
Kylie Williamson* 
|
2017-2018
|
Kirstie Roxburgh
|
2016-2017
|
Kirstie Roxburgh
|
- Notes
- * – Kylie stepped in as president mid-season after Kirstie stepped down to commit to university studies.
Former and current club Captains
[edit]Men
[edit]| Season(s) | Name |
|---|---|
2024-
|
Adam Campbell
|
2023-2024
|
John Graham*
|
2022-2023
|
Dan Cournane
|
2021-2022
|
Ryan McDougall
|
2020-2021
|
Calum McKay
|
2019-2020
|
Calum McKay
|
2018-2019
|
James Trigg
|
2017-2018
|
James Trigg
|
2016-2017
|
Kyle Semple**
|
2015-2016
|
Kyle Semple
|
2014-2015
|
Rhys Taylor
|
- Notes
- * – John Graham was ruled out of the 2023/24 season, due to an ACL injury. Carl Brunslev replaced him as the role of captain.
- ** – Club Captains functioned as Club Presidents before the 2017/18 season.
Women
[edit]| Season(s) | Name |
|---|---|
2024-2025
|
Imogen Rose
|
2023-2024
|
Imogen Rose
|
2022-2023
|
Phoebe Peacock
|
2021-2022
|
Jennifer McVeigh
|
2020-2021
|
Rowann Sinclair
|
2019-2020
|
Selina Keppie
|
2018-2019
|
Inga Krohberger
|
2017-2018
|
Gwen Fitzpatrick
|
2016-2017
|
Gwen Fitzpatrick
|
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "BUCScore - Queen Margaret University Mens 1st Rugby Union Team". BUCS.
- ^ "BUCScore - Queen Margaret University Womens 1st Rugby Union Team". BUCS.
- ^ "2015-16". BUCS.org.uk.
- ^ "2018/19 league tables". BUCS.org.uk.
- ^ "2018/19 league tables Women's Rugby". BUCS.org.uk.
- ^ "QMU women's rugby vow that 'no-one is left behind' in stretcher carry charity challenge". Scottish Rugby Union.
- ^ "Rugby Women's @ QMUSU". www.qmusu.org.uk.
- ^ "Team Napier vs QMU - Varsity Cup 2020". Napier Students union.
- ^ "QMU History". QMU.ac.uk.
- ^ "Our History". Napier.ac.uk.
- ^ "Cimprich Martin". RDJ Sports.
- ^ "RWC: Getting To Know Heather O'Brien". Munster Rugby.
- ^ "Navy Rugby Falls Short but Cross the Whitewash against British Army". Navy Rugby Union.