Rosslyn Park v London Scottish: Looking back at a historic rivalry
For the first time in just over 15 years, Rosslyn Park will face London Scottish in a competitive fixture at The Rock this Saturday.
That last meeting may feel like a lifetime ago, but as we prepare to rekindle our rivalry with our Richmond-based neighbours, we thought we would look back at some memorable moments from when these two clubs have faced each other over the years.
The first fixture between the two sides took place on 8 March 1890 at our then-ground in Acton. On that occasion, it was the visitors who came out on top, scoring three goals and two tries to Park’s one goal.
The rich history of both clubs is remarkable, and the image below provides another excellent example. On the day of Park’s inaugural match at Roehampton, played against the French provincial side Auvergne, the club received a telegram from the London Scottish president wishing them well for the match.
In more recent history, Park have enjoyed plenty of memorable contests against London Scottish. One notable meeting came in 2009, when Park featured in Austin Healey’s television show The Big Tackle. The aim was for Healey to help the club improve both on and off the pitch, and a local derby against London Scottish was arranged as part of the series.
Former Park player and general manager Steve Kearns recalled how the occasion unfolded:
“So Austin and I went out into Richmond to drum up some support in the week. We then caught wind that there would be a piper at the end of the pitch.
“So we thought, how do we drown out this piper? That’s when we got in touch with a marching band and got a 60- or 70-piece band. Every time the piper started to play, they would march up and down the pitch, playing the trumpets and drums to make it feel like it was our game rather than a Scottish game.”
The last time Park and Scottish met in the league was in 2011, when, unfortunately, the visitors came away with the win. One man who featured that day was Stephen Pape, who reflected on what makes this such a special derby.
“It was quite a unique game. I’d say the closest thing I can compare it to is the Cornish derbies we get in the West Country. There’s such a good atmosphere and build-up that goes into it.
“On that day, London Scottish had a player called Tom Standfield at hooker. We both fancied ourselves as quite abrasive players, so we got stuck into each other.
“I pulled him over a breakdown, but all that ended up happening was that he lost his jersey, so he just slapped me!
“Afterwards, we had a beer and a joke about it. In fact, I saw him a few months ago and we joked about it again. That’s the kind of unique derby this is.”
With the rivalry set to be renewed at The Rock this Saturday, make sure you’re there to be part of it.
Get your tickets for Rosslyn Park v London Scottish here.