Calcutta Cup

On Christmas Day 1872, a game of rugby football, between 20 players representing England on one side and 20 representing Scotland on the other, was played in Calcutta.

The match was such a success that it was repeated a week later. These lovers of rugby wanted to form a club in the area and the aforementioned matches were the agents which led to the formation of the Calcutta Football Club in January 1873.

The Calcutta Club joined the Rugby Football Union in 1874. Despite the Indian climate not being entirely suitable for playing rugby, the club prospered during that first year. However, when the free bar had to be discontinued, the membership took an appreciable drop. Other sports, such as tennis and polo, which were considered to be more suited to the local climate, were making inroads into the numbers of gentlemen available. The members decided to disband but keen to perpetuate the name of the club, they withdrew the club's funds from the bank, which were in Silver Rupees, had them melted down and made into a cup which they presented to the Rugby Football Union in England in 1878, with the provision that it should be competed for annually.

The cup is of Indian workmanship, approximately 18 inches (45 cm) high, the body is finely engraved with three king cobras forming the handles. The domed lid is surmounted by an elephant which is, it is said, copied from the Viceroy's own stock. The inscription on the Cup's wooden base reads: THE CALCUTTA CUP.

The base has attached to it additional plates which record the date of each match played with the name of the winning country and the names of the two captains. There is an anomaly in the recording of the winning country on the base of the Cup. It was first played for in 1879, but the plinth shows records extending back to the first international in 1871.

The original trophy is in a very fragile state following many years of poor treatment and is not in a strong enough condition to attend functions or go on tours. When won by England the original Calcutta Cup is put on public display in the Museum of Rugby in Twickenham, where it slowly turns around in a purpose built showcase. Both nations have full size replicas of the Cup. Whilst the original was handmade by Indian craftsmen, the replicas were made using modern technology.

In 1988 the cup was damaged by the antics of some drunken players, including England number eight Dean Richards and Scotland flanker John Jeffrey who played football with the Calcutta Cup along Princes Street in Edinburgh. Jeffrey received a six-month ban from the SRU, whilst Richards was given a one-match sentence from England.[1]

Despite the initial request of the Calcutta Club that the trophy be used as rugby's answer to football's FA Cup, the RFU refused to turn the Calcutta Cup into a knock-out competition for English club sides. They believed that "competitiveness" ran against the amateur ethos and instead decided that a game should be played each year between England and Scotland and whoever wins should keep it for that year. The first Calcutta Cup match was played at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, on 10 March 1879 and ended in a draw; Scotland scored a drop goal and England a goal. The following year on 28 February 1880 England became the first winners of the Calcutta Cup when they defeated Scotland by two goals & three tries to one goal in Manchester. Matches have continued on an annual basis except for two interruptions due to the World Wars between 1915–1919 and 1940–1946.

As of 2019, 126 Calcutta Cup matches have taken place. Currently, this game is the annual match between the two nations in the Six Nations Championship. The ground alternates between Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh (on even years) and Twickenham Stadium in London (on odd years).

In 2004, the two countries' rugby governing bodies, the Rugby Football Union (England) and the Scottish Rugby Union, were considering a plan to add a second Calcutta Cup fixture each year, outside the Six Nations. The second fixture would be hosted by the away nation in the Six Nations fixture of the same year. Under that plan, one nation would have to win both matches to take the Cup off its current holder. Due to a largely unfavourable reaction, the proposal soon disappeared from view.

Since 1879, the Calcutta Cup has been played 126 times.

Year	Date	Holder	Result	Stadium	Place	England wins	Scotland wins	Draws
1879	10 March		1–1	Raeburn Place	Edinburgh	0	0	1
1880	28 February	England	2–1	Whalley Range	Manchester	1	0	1
1881	19 March	England	1–1	Raeburn Place	Edinburgh	1	0	2
1882	4 March	Scotland	(0T)0–0(2T)	Whalley Range	Manchester	1	1	2
1883	3 March	England	(1T)0–0(2T)	Raeburn Place	Edinburgh	2	1	2
1884	1 March	England	3–1	Rectory Field	Blackheath	3	1	2
1885	Not played
1886	13 March	England	0–0	Raeburn Place	Edinburgh	3	1	3
1887	5 March	England	(1T)1–1(1T)	Whalley Range	Manchester	3	1	4
1888	Not played
1889	Not played
1890	1 March	England	0–6	Raeburn Place	Edinburgh	4	1	4
1891	7 March	Scotland	3–9	Athletic Ground	Richmond	4	2	4
1892	5 March	England	0–5	Raeburn Place	Edinburgh	5	2	4
1893	4 March	Scotland	0–8	Headingley	Leeds	5	3	4
1894	17 March	Scotland	6–0	Raeburn Place	Edinburgh	5	4	4
1895	9 March	Scotland	3–6	Athletic Ground	Richmond	5	5	4
1896	14 March	Scotland	11–0	Hampden Park	Glasgow	5	6	4
1897	13 March	England	12–3	Fallowfield	Manchester	6	6	4
1898	12 March	England	3–3	Powderhall	Edinburgh	6	6	5
1899	11 March	Scotland	0–5	Rectory Field	Blackheath	6	7	5
1900	10 March	Scotland	0–0	Inverleith	Edinburgh	6	7	6
1901	9 March	Scotland	3–18	Rectory Field	Blackheath	6	8	6
1902	15 March	England	3–6	Inverleith	Edinburgh	7	8	6
1903	21 March	Scotland	6–10	Athletic Ground	Richmond	7	9	6
1904	19 March	Scotland	6–3	Inverleith	Edinburgh	7	10	6
1905	18 March	Scotland	0–8	Athletic Ground	Richmond	7	11	6
1906	17 March	England	3–9	Inverleith	Edinburgh	8	11	6
1907	16 March	Scotland	3–8	Rectory Field	Blackheath	8	12	6
1908	21 March	Scotland	16–10	Inverleith	Edinburgh	8	13	6
1909	20 March	Scotland	8–18	Athletic Ground	Richmond	8	14	6
1910	19 March	England	5–14	Inverleith	Edinburgh	9	14	6
1911	18 March	England	13–8	Twickenham	London	10	14	6
1912	16 March	Scotland	8–3	Inverleith	Edinburgh	10	15	6
1913	15 March	England	3–0	Twickenham	London	11	15	6
1914	21 March	England	15–16	Inverleith	Edinburgh	12	15	6
1915	Not held due to World War I
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920	20 March	England	13–4	Twickenham	London	13	15	6
1921	19 March	England	0–18	Inverleith	Edinburgh	14	15	6
1922	18 March	England	11–5	Twickenham	London	15	15	6
1923	17 March	England	6–8	Inverleith	Edinburgh	16	15	6
1924	15 March	England	19–0	Twickenham	London	17	15	6
1925	21 March	Scotland	14–11	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	17	16	6
1926	20 March	Scotland	9–17	Twickenham	London	17	17	6
1927	19 March	Scotland	21–13	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	17	18	6
1928	17 March	England	6–0	Twickenham	London	18	18	6
1929	16 March	Scotland	12–6	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	18	19	6
1930	15 March	Scotland	0–0	Twickenham	London	18	19	7
1931	21 March	Scotland	28–19	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	18	20	7
1932	19 March	England	16–3	Twickenham	London	19	20	7
1933	18 March	Scotland	3–0	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	19	21	7
1934	17 March	England	6–3	Twickenham	London	20	21	7
1935	16 March	Scotland	10–7	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	20	22	7
1936	21 March	England	9–8	Twickenham	London	21	22	7
1937	20 March	England	3–6	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	22	22	7
1938	19 March	Scotland	16–21	Twickenham	London	22	23	7
1939	18 March	England	6–9	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	23	23	7
1940	Not held due to World War II
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947	15 March	England	24–5	Twickenham	London	24	23	7
1948	20 March	Scotland	6–3	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	24	24	7
1949	19 March	England	19–3	Twickenham	London	25	24	7
1950	18 March	Scotland	13–11	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	25	25	7
1951	17 March	England	5–3	Twickenham	London	26	25	7
1952	15 March	England	3–19	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	27	25	7
1953	21 March	England	26–8	Twickenham	London	28	25	7
1954	20 March	England	3–13	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	29	25	7
1955	19 March	England	9–6	Twickenham	London	30	25	7
1956	17 March	England	6–11	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	31	25	7
1957	16 March	England	16–3	Twickenham	London	32	25	7
1958	15 March	England	3–3	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	32	25	8
1959	21 March	England	3–3	Twickenham	London	32	25	9
1960	19 March	England	12–21	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	33	25	9
1961	18 March	England	6–0	Twickenham	London	34	25	9
1962	17 March	England	3–3	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	34	25	10
1963	16 March	England	10–8	Twickenham	London	35	25	10
1964	21 March	Scotland	15–6	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	35	26	10
1965	20 March	Scotland	3–3	Twickenham	London	35	26	11
1966	19 March	Scotland	6–3	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	35	27	11
1967	18 March	England	27–14	Twickenham	London	36	27	11
1968	16 March	England	6–8	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	37	27	11
1969	15 March	England	8–3	Twickenham	London	38	27	11
1970	21 February	Scotland	14–5	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	38	28	11
1971	20 March	Scotland	16–15	Twickenham	London	38	29	11
1972	18 March	Scotland	23–9	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	38	30	11
1973	17 March	England	20–13	Twickenham	London	39	30	11
1974	2 February	Scotland	16–14	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	39	31	11
1975	15 March	England	7–6	Twickenham	London	40	31	11
1976	21 February	Scotland	22–12	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	40	32	11
1977	15 January	England	26–6	Twickenham	London	41	32	11
1978	4 March	England	0–15	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	42	32	11
1979	3 February	England	7–7	Twickenham	London	42	32	12
1980	15 March	England	18–30	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	43	32	12
1981	21 February	England	23–17	Twickenham	London	44	32	12
1982	16 January	England	9–9	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	44	32	13
1983	5 March	Scotland	12–22	Twickenham	London	44	33	13
1984	4 February	Scotland	18–6	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	44	34	13
1985	16 March	England	10–7	Twickenham	London	45	34	13
1986	15 February	Scotland	33–6	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	45	35	13
1987	4 April	England	21–12	Twickenham	London	46	35	13
1988	5 March	England	6–9	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	47	35	13
1989	4 February	England	12–12	Twickenham	London	47	35	14
1990	17 March	Scotland	13–7	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	47	36	14
1991	16 February	England	21–12	Twickenham	London	48	36	14
1992	18 January	England	7–25	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	49	36	14
1993	6 March	England	26–12	Twickenham	London	50	36	14
1994	5 February	England	14–15	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	51	36	14
1995	18 March	England	24–12	Twickenham	London	52	36	14
1996	2 March	England	9–18	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	53	36	14
1997	1 February	England	41–13	Twickenham	London	54	36	14
1998	22 March	England	20–34	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	55	36	14
1999	20 February	England	24–21	Twickenham	London	56	36	14
2000	2 April	Scotland	19–13	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	56	37	14
2001	3 March	England	43–3	Twickenham	London	57	37	14
2002	2 February	England	3–29	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	58	37	14
2003	22 March	England	40–9	Twickenham	London	59	37	14
2004	21 February	England	13–35	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	60	37	14
2005	19 March	England	43–22	Twickenham	London	61	37	14
2006	25 February	Scotland	18–12	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	61	38	14
2007	3 February	England	42–20	Twickenham	London	62	38	14
2008	8 March	Scotland	15–9	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	62	39	14
2009	21 March	England	26–12	Twickenham	London	63	39	14
2010	13 March	England	15–15	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	63	39	15
2011	13 March	England	22–17	Twickenham	London	64	39	15
2012	4 February	England	6–13	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	65	39	15
2013	2 February	England	38–18	Twickenham	London	66	39	15
2014	8 February	England	0–20	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	67	39	15
2015	14 March	England	25–13	Twickenham	London	68	39	15
2016	6 February	England	9–15[2]	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	69	39	15
2017	11 March	England	61–21[3]	Twickenham	London	70	39	15
2018	24 February	Scotland	25–13[4]	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	70	40	15
2019	16 March	Scotland	38–38	Twickenham	London	70	40	16
2020	8 February	England	6-13	Murrayfield	Edinburgh	71	40	16

Team	Wins
England	71
Scotland	40

The cup has been tied 16 times.

The current record number of points scored by a player in a Calcutta Cup game was set by Jonny Wilkinson in 2007 when he scored 27 points (1 try, 2 conversions, 5 penalties, 1 drop goal). The previous record of 24 points was held by Rob Andrew.

The Other Calcutta Cup Trophy

In 1884 Calcutta Cricket and Football Club again set up a rugby section and in 1890 set up an inter club trophy, the Calcutta Rugby Union Challenge Cup, promptly christened the Calcutta Cup.[5]

The Cup is currently held by Jungle Crows who beat CC&FC. The second division trophy was won by Calcutta Cricket and Football Club Panthers.[6]

The original and oldest Calcutta Cup is a silver trophy played for annually by the members of Royal Blackheath Golf Club. It was a gift from the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in response to the presentation of a medal given by Blackheath. It is made from melted down silver rupees, reputedly from the same batch of melted down silver rupees as the Rugby Union Cup played for between England and Scotland. The cup arrived in London in 1875. It was first played for in December 1875 three years before the first Calcutta Cup match between England and Scotland. The Cup held by Royal Blackheath Golf Club has only 2 handles unlike the well known Calcutta Cup. It is only in recent years that the history of the original Calcutta Cup has been appreciated by sporting historians.

Royal Blackheath Golf Club members had close links with Blackheath Football Club (Rugby) which was one of the most prominent Clubs in the early years of the Rugby Football Union. Members of both clubs served in India in the 1870s. This link is the most likely explanation for the creation of a similar cup being created by the Calcutta rugby Club a few years later and becoming the world-famous Calcutta Cup.

• Rugby union trophies and awards
• Le Crunch, a long-standing rivalry between England and France
• Millennium Trophy, for winners of England v. Ireland in the Six Nations
• Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy, for winners of France v. Italy in the Six Nations
• Triple Crown Trophy, whoever (if any) wins all games between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations
• Rugby union in India
• England–Scotland football rivalry in association football

• Five famous victories to lift Scottish Hearts, The Scotsman, February 25, 2006
• The History of the Calcutta Cup, The Calcutta Cup at Historic UK
• The Calcutta Cup (PDF) explained on the website of the Scottish Rugby Union.