Irvine RFC

Rugby team
teamname = Irvine


imagesize =
union = Scottish Rugby Union
fullname = Irvine Rugby Football Club
founded = 1962
location = Irvine, Scotland
country

ground = Marress
president =
coach =
url =
league = BT Premiership Division Three
season =
position =
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Irvine Rugby Football Club is a Rugby Football club in the Scottish Rugby Union, that now plays it's Rugby in the BT Premiership Division Three. They are based in Irvine, Scotland and play there Rugby at Marress.

History

The Beginning

Irvine Royal Academy was predominantly a football playing school until the late forties when a rugby playing gym teacher arrived at the school. Harry Murray, or " Stasher" as he was affectionately known, set about introducing rugby football to the uninitiated of Irvine. For twelve or so years those who wished to continue playing rugby, after school, travelled to Ardrossan to the club there. In the early sixties some senior pupils at the school suggested that it was time that Irvine should have a team of its own and a meeting was held and by late 1962 Irvine Royal Academicals had been constituted with Bill Inglis, history teacher at the school, as its first president, a young Alastair McHarg as fixture secretary, Gus McIntyre as Secretary and Alister Rennie as treasurer.

From that December to March 1963 the committee chose team colours, maroon jersey as Gala were the only team who were known to play in that colour and blue stocking to connect with the school colours. Interest in the town was so strong that fixtures were organised for two teams

First Season

1963 / 1964 was the first competitive season for the Irvine squad and one unlikely ever to be repeated again. The first time the try line was crossed was halfway through that season. the team had gone four months without conceding a try, an unbelievable task nowadays! Irvine were only defeated once in their inaugural season and Club Captain John McHarg, now one of the coaches, set the standard for his future successors.

Name Change

In 1969, the club were conscious of the population explosion in the area and with a number of new schools opening with the development of Irvine New Town, the team colours remained the same but the team would now be known as Irvine Rugby Football Club.