The History of the Calcutta Cup By Ben Johnson | Comments The Calcutta Cup is the trophy presented to the winner of the England versus Scotland rugby union match which takes place during the annual Six Nations Championship – also currently known as the RBS 6 Nations – between England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy. The Six Nations Championships date back to 1883 in its original guise as the Home Nations Championships, when it was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. More recently, trophies have been awarded for a number of individual competitions during the Six Nations including the Millennium Trophy which is awarded to the winner of the game between England and Ireland; the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy which is awarded to the winner of the game between France and Italy and the Centenary Quaich which is awarded to the winner of the game between Scotland and Ireland. However, the Calcutta Cup pre-dates all of the other Six Nations trophies and indeed the competition itself. England v.

Scotland, 1901 Following the popular introduction of rugby to India in 1872, the Calcutta (Rugby) Football Club was established by former students of Rugby School in January 1873, joining the Rugby Football Union in 1874. However, with the departure of a local British army regiment (and perhaps more crucially the cancellation of the free bar at the club!), interest in rugby diminished in the area and sports such as cricket , tennis and polo began to thrive as they were better suited to the Indian climate. Whilst the Calcutta (Rugby) Football Club was disbanded in 1878, members decided to keep the memory of the club alive by having the remaining 270 silver rupees in their bank account melted down to be made into a trophy. The trophy was then presented to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to be used as “the best means of doing some lasting good for the cause of Rugby Football.” The trophy, which stands at approximately 18 inches (45 cm) high, sits on a wooden base whose plates hold the date of each match played; the winning country and the names of both team captains.

The silver cup is delicately etched and decorated with three king cobras who form the handles of the cup and sitting atop the circular lid is an Indian elephant. The Calcutta Cup on display at Twickenham, 2007 The original trophy is still in existence but years of mistreatment (including a drunken kick about in 1988 on Princes Street in Edinburgh by the England player Dean Richards and the Scottish player John Jeffry in which the trophy was used as the ball) have left it too fragile to be moved from its permanent home at the Museum of Rugby in Twickenham. Instead both England and Scotland have full size models of the cup to be displayed by the winning team and when England are the victors the original trophy is displayed by the Museum of Rugby in a purpose built trophy cabinet with revolving stand. The Calcutta Club had thought that the trophy would be used as an annual prize for club competitions, similarly to the Football FA Cup which was introduced around the same time.

Indeed in 1884 the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club re-established rugby in Calcutta in 1884 and a club trophy called the Calcutta Rugby Union Challenge Cup - which also became known as the Calcutta Cup - was introduced in 1890. However, the RFU preferred to keep the competition at international level to retain the ‘gentlemanly’ rather than competitive nature of the sport and run the risk of a move to professionalism. England rugby captain Martin Johnson signing autographs on the Close at the birthplace of rugby football, Rugby School As Wales didn’t have a national team and Ireland’s team lagged far behind the English and Scottish sides, the Calcutta Cup became the victor’s trophy in the annual England versus Scotland game following its arrival in the UK in 1878. Since the first game in 1879 (which was declared a draw) England has won 54% of the 118 matches played and Scotland 39%, with 13% of matches ending in a draw between the two sides.

Annual matches between the two sides have continued every year since, with the exception of the World War years between 1915-1919 and 1940-1946 . The venue for the match is always the Murrayfield Stadium in Scotland during even years and the Twickenham Stadium in England during odd years. With the introduction of the Home Nations competition in 1883 and the vast improvement in the Irish and Welsh sides it was suggested that the Calcutta Cup went to the winner of the Home Nations competition. However, the tradition of the trophy going to the victors of the England versus Scotland game was a popular one and the suggestion was overruled. Today the trophy resides with the English team, as it has done since 2009. Interestingly it was only as recently as 1993 that the winners of the tournament (now known as the Six Nations Championship following the introduction of France and Italy) received a trophy at all, when the Championship Trophy was unveiled. Tweet If you enjoyed this article, you might also like... C.B.

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Popular This Month Six Nations 2016, A-Z: Football with the Calcutta Cup, a flying Russian prince, fights, ice, songs and aftershave Six Nations 2016, A-Z: Football with the Calcutta Cup, a flying Russian prince, fights, ice, songs and aftershave The Six Nations has a colourful history Credit: PA A for Aftershave England's Colin Smart did something stupid After overcoming France 27-15 in 1982, the England players, in typically French style, were each presented with a bottle of aftershave at the post-match banquet. Lock Maurice Colclough, seeing no need to smell nice, surreptitiously poured out the offending liquid and replaced it with white wine, which he proceeded to drink pretending it was the aftershave, and challenged his colleagues to do the same. The ironically-named Colin Smart (pictured) took up the challenge. Needless to say, after necking a bottle of 100 per cent pure cologne, Smart was on his way to hospital to have his stomach pumped.

B for Boy Wonder At just 18, Keith Jarrett was still at school in Monmouth when an injury-hit Wales selected him to play against England at full-back in 1967. He contributed 19 points – a try, five conversions and two penalties – as the Welsh ran out 34-21 winners in Cardiff, and his debut performance has become part of rugby legend. C for Calcutta Cup The Calcutta Cup, with cobras for handles and an elephant on the lid The most famous of all rugby trophies, the Calcutta Cup began its life in India. It was here that the Calcutta (Rugby) Football Club was forced to close in 1878, after five years of life, due to three main reasons - the rise in popularity of tennis and polo, the closure of the free bar and the departure of the British army. As a result, the club withdrew their remaining funds from the bank and had a silver trophy produced from 270 melted down silver rupee coins and decorated with cobras and an elephant. The trophy was then offered to the RFU, arrived in 1878 and was first played for a year later between England and Scotland.

D for Deano Dean Richards with the Calcutta Cup (before it got dented) The Calcutta Cup was matchless in its beauty. That is until PC Dean Richards and farmer John Jeffrey got hold of it. The pair disappeared into the Edinburgh night after a post-match banquet in 1988 and proceeded to play football with the then 110-year old trophy down Princes Street. Jeffrey received a six-month suspension from Scotland and Richards a one-match ban by England. E for Edinburgh David Sole leads his team out at Murrayfield The lair of the Scots can be a tricky place to visit – especially with the guaranteed wind and rain at this time of year – but Englishmen are always afforded a particularly hostile reception. No more so than for Will Carling's men in 1990 when David Sole led his warriors out in a slow walk that saw the crowd erupt in Braveheart-style passion. To this day it is known as Scotland's 1966 moment.

F for Frozen The frozen Stade de France pitch in 2012 Credit: REUTERS The Stade de France was the centre of farcical scenes in 2012 when Ireland's clash with France was postponed just 10 minutes before kick-off. Why? Because it wasn't built with under soil heating, which can be a problem when the Six Nations is held in February and March. Unfortunately, the stadium was constructed on the site of an old gas works and there were concerns it could cause an explosion. As it turns out there was an explosion anyway – of rage – when the game was cancelled at the last minute due to a (surprise, surprise) frozen pitch. G for Gilbert Gilbert balls are synonymous with rugby union It’s the brand synonymous with the Six Nations, but how did the rugby ball evolve into what it is today? Balls were originally made from freshly harvested pig's bladders, inflated through the stem of a clay pipe and encased in leather by Rugby school's local cobbler, William Gilbert. In 1870, inflatable rubber bladders were introduced by Richard Lindon after his wife died from a disease while blowing up a pig's bladder.

Due to the pliancy of rubber, the shape of the ball slowly changed from sphere to egg and, in 1892, the RFU enforced compulsory ovalness. And the modern-day ball was born. H for Hard Man France prop Gerard Cholley was gigantic. Reputed to be 19 stone during his playing days, he was a paratrooper, potato farmer, occasional prize fighter and, thanks to his fearsome reputation, a chauffeur for senior French officials. He laid out four Scots in one game and, in other match, in South Africa, punched out three Western Province players. In 1977, before a clash with Ireland, he punched the changing room ceiling so hard he put his fist through the timber. His hand swelled to the size of melon, but he took to the field nonetheless and France won 15-6. I for International In 1986, a Five Nations combined team was put together to play a one-off match against an Overseas Unions side, commemorating the centenary of the now IRB, and to see which of the two hemispheres was best. Unfortunately, the Five Nations side lost 32-13.

Five Nations: Blanco (France); Ringland (Ireland), Sella (France), Kiernan (Ireland), R Underwood (England); Dacey (Wales), Hill (England); Whitefoot (Wales), Brain (England), Milne (Scotland), Condom (France), Lenihan (Ireland) (captain), Jeffrey (Scotland), Paxton (Scotland), Rodriguez (France) Overseas Unions: Gould (Australia); Kirwan (New Zealand), Gerber (South Africa), Taylor (New Zealand), C du Plessis (South Africa); N Botha (South Africa), Loveridge (New Zealand); Rodríguez (Australia), Dalton (New Zealand) (captain), Knight (New Zealand), Cutler (Australia), Haden (New Zealand), Poidevin (Australia), Tuynman (Australia), Shaw (New Zealand) J for Jumping The Gun The RFU was left red-faced in 2011 after an advertisement celebrating England winning the Grand Slam was leaked. The video, produced by their official kit supplier Nike, featured Toby Flood, Chris Ashton and Ben Foden in a series of action clips.

Signing off the ad was a caption that read 'Grand Slam Champions 2011'. This presumptuousness would just about be forgiveable if England hadn't been demolished 24-8 by Ireland in Dublin, ending their hopes of a first championship clean sweep since 2003. K for Kicker Jonny Wilkinson holds the record for individual points in one match Two men stand out as far as the stats go – Jonny Wilkinson and Ronan O'Gara. England No 10 Wilkinson holds the record for individual points in one match (35 against Italy in 2001) and in one Championship (89, again in 2001). However, it's ROG who is the top scorer in the competition, amassing 557 points to Wilko's 546. L for La Marseillaise The French belt out La Marseillaise As far as national anthems go, nothing beats France's effort. Tears running down the face of some pug-ugly French prop with a face like a corkscrew, it stirs the emotions of even the most dispassionate lumps. M for Millennium Trophy The Millennium Trophy...

that looks like a viking helmet The what? The ultimate goal is to win the Six Nations trophy and thus be crowned the best team in the northern hemisphere, but there a plenty of sub-plots too… and more trophies to be won. The most famous of these, as mentioned earlier, is the Calcutta Cup, but there are others. For instance, the Centenary Quaich (Scotland v Ireland) and the Guiseppe Garibaldi Trophy (France and Italy). And the Millennium Trophy? England v Ireland! Oh, and in case you're wondering what a Quaich is, it's a Gaelic drinking vessel. N for Not Moving Credit: GETTY IMAGES It was an unintended act of defiance in 2003 but Martin Johnson's decision not to obey the exhortations of a steward to move along the carpet so that Ireland could take their usual place set the tone for the day on which England finally did claim a Grand Slam. Even the Irish president, Mary McAleese, had to get her shoes dirty to perform the ceremonial handshaking.

O for Obolensky Prince Alexander Sergeevich Obolensky was a member of the Rurik Dynasty who fled Russia after the 1917 revolution and settled in Muswell Hill, London. A supremely-talented sportsman, he immediately took to rugby, although his international call-up by England caused quite a stir as he had not yet gained British citizenship. However, it was granted in 1936 and he would go down in English rugby history with his debut performance against the All Blacks, scoring a length-of-the-field try as England won 13-0. He won three further caps, against Wales, Ireland and Scotland. In 1939, at the outbreak of WWII, he joined the RAF's 504 squadron, but on March 29, 1940, a day after being recalled to the England squad to play Wales, he was tragically killed during training, aged 24. P for Paterson Chris Paterson went through a period of never missing When England came to Murrayfield in 2008, it was on the back of two away wins in that year's Six Nations, but they reckoned without Chris Paterson.

On a dour day, and the stodgiest of pitches, the Scotland fly-half kicked four out of four penalties to extend his streak in Test rugby to an incredible 30 consecutive kicks at goal as Scotland beat England 15-9. Q for Quinnell The Quinnell family are synonymous with Welsh rugby. It all started with father Derek , a lock forward who made his international debut against France in 1972. No 8 Scott would represent Wales at Rugby Union and Rugby League, winning 52 caps in the 15-man game. His younger brother Craig was a beast of a second row, tipping the scales at 20st 6lbs, and won 32 Wales caps. Oh, and their uncle? Barry John! R for Royalty Zara Philips (left) cheers on Mike Tindall at Murrayfield Mike Tindall's marriage to Zara Phillips, daughter of the Princess Royal, continues English rugby's long association with the royal family. It all started with Obolensky, followed by a Nigerian prince, Andrew Harriman, who played on the wing in the 1980s.

And Will Carling proved that even a humble rugby player can climb the social ladder with his clandestine wooing of Princess Diana. S for Swing Low Why is Swing Low Sweet Chariot sung at England games? Chris Oti was England's first black player for 80 years and is best remembered for scoring a hat-trick against Ireland at Twickenham in the 1988 Five Nations – a watershed in England's fortunes and the inspiration for a new tradition. A group of boys from the Benedictine school Douai began singing the 150-year-old hymn, as they would do for the first XV rugby team whenever a try was scored, when Oti ran in for his second touchdown. Amused spectators started to join in and by the time Oti had crossed for his third the song could be heard echoing around the stadium – and a long tradition was born. T for Twickenham A full house at Twickenham Before the war, George Orwell once said "a bomb under the West car park at Twickenham on an international day would end fascism in England for a generation".

Whether the politics of this pillar of middle England have changed in the intervening years is open to debate but one thing is certain, Twickers has come long way since its humble beginnings as a market garden. Affectionately known as the 'Cabbage Patch' – the land was bought for £5,500 and is now an 82,000 capacity super arena. U for Unbelievable Ask anyone to name the greatest try ever seen in the Five or Six Nations and one will dominate debate – the one scored by France wing Philippe Saint-Andre in 1991. The move began with Serge Blanco running back a failed Simon Hodgkinson penalty from behind his own goal posts, before Didier Camberabero executed a deft chip in-field which bounced perfectly for Saint-Andre to collect and leave Twickenham breathless. V for Victory Ireland are the current champions England lead the way in the Six Nations wins table. Each team has played 80 games since 2000, with the men in white claiming 55 wins. That's two ahead of Ireland (53), with France (52), Wales (44), Scotland (19) and Italy (12) playing catch-up.

England also dominate with the total number of points accumulated (111) and points difference (+961), with second-placed France some way behind on +577. However, in the Six Nations era, Les Bleus have five Championship wins to England's four. Wales have also achieved four and Ireland three. The Scots and Italians have yet to register. W for War Many international rugby players died during the war Credit: EMPICS Sport/PA Photos France did not join the championship fray until 1910 and struggled at first to achieve any notable success. In their first four years of entry, the French won just one game - a one-point victory over Scotland in 1911. However, the outbreak of WWI in 1914 saw the tournament put on hold until 1920 and the inter-war years were dominated by England as they swept to nine championship victories, including five Grand Slams. France, meanwhile, continued to struggle and in 1931 the discovery that a number of their players had been paid at club level forced them to pull out of the tournament. Due to this, the championship became an entirely domestic affair for eight years.

France rejoined in 1939-40, but then the outbreak of World War Two delayed their re-entry for a further eight years. X for X-Rated Brian Moore and Vincent Moscato clash in 1992 Dust ups on the rugby field are nothing new but they do tend to involve England in some way, especially against the French. In 1992, hooker Brian Moore wound up the France front row to such an extent that two of them – Gregoire Lascube and Vincent Moscato – were sent off. The latter is said to have threatened to kill Moore. Moscato denied the claim, although he never played for France again and went on to become a boxer. Y for Yellow The first official recipient of a yellow card in a Test match was England forward Ben Clarke, playing against Ireland at Lansdowne Road in 1995, when he stamped on the head of Bath team-mate Simon Geoghegan, but played on. This is because playing on after a yellow card remained law until after the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Only then was a temporary suspension of 10 minutes introduced.

Z for Zzzzzzz Despite being the second most successful England captain of the modern era behind Martin Johnson, Will Carling's team was considered "functional but boring", relying on the forwards rather than take a risk by giving the ball to the backs. However, this is a miss-conception. Criticised for not scoring many tries, they in fact created records! In 1990, England broke the team record for tries in the Five Nations (12, despite not winning the Championship) and then shattered their own record with 15 in the 1992 Grand Slam. Follow Telegraph Sport Editor's Choice 19 Jan 2017, 10:00pm Premium 19 Jan 2017, 4:41pm Sport latest 19 Jan 2017, 10:00pm Premium 19 Jan 2017, 4:41pm Calcutta Cup, Teams, Fixtures, History and Cup Information WRU Challenge Cup A Brief History Of Calcutta Cup The Calcutta Cup is a rugby union trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Six Nations Championship match between England and Scotland.

On Christmas Day 1872, a game of rugby football, between 20 players representing England on the one side and 20 representing Scotland, Ireland and Wales on the other, was played in Calcutta. The match was such a success that it was repeated a week later: the game of rugby had reached India. These lovers of rugby football 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 RFU in 1878 on the proviso that it should be competed for annually. Previous Winners Of Calcutta Cup Year Calcutta Cricket & Football Club In the city of Calcutta, then just over a hundred years old and growing fast both in commercial and political significance, the British Raj was busy setting its roots. And sports were definitely a part of the social lore. Indeed, sports events were reckoned to be important enough for sub-continental reporters. Fortunately, a copy of the Madras Courier dated 23rd. February, 1792 has survived. The paper reported cricket fixtures between the Calcutta Cricket Club and Barrackpore and the Calcutta Cricket Club and Dum Dum. Clearly, the Calcutta Cricket Club was already in existence in 1792. The story of how CC&FC traced its origins is interesting and is preserved in its archives thanks to Past President H.J. Moorhouse.

It began in 1955 with a letter to The Times, London from Alan R. Tait, Honorary Secretary of Oporto Cricket Club in Portugal. The Club was celebrating its centenary that year, and Tait claimed that it 'must be one of the oldest cricket club outside Great Britain'. This letter drew a good deal of response from several quarters. Several clubs were identified as being older than Oporto. To use a cricketing metaphor, the ball swung in Calcutta's favour when one Irwing Rosenwater wrote to the Times about the news item in the Madras Courier dated 23rd. February, 1792, mentioned above. When Wiseden concurred with this finding, CC&FC earned rightful recognition as the oldest cricket club, outside Britain, in the world. (Since the Bicentennial Year, 1991-92, 23rd. February - the date that marks the Madras Couriers memorable report in 1792 - is being celebrated as CC&FC's Foundation Day.

In the absence of a permanent venue, the Calcutta Cricket Club played its games on the esplanade, parallel with the river Hooghly, between Fort William and Government House. By the 1820s, the members felt the need for a permanent ground. In 1825, the Calcutta Cricket Club managed to obtain the use of a plot of land on the Maidan as shown in the accompanying reproduction of the 'Sketch of the Maidan'. In 1841 the Club was allowed to enclose the ground by putting a fence around it. The Army, garrisoned at Fort William, however saw the Club as an encroacher and was extremely suspicious of its alleged motives! They complained to the Chief Magistrate and as a result the Club was relocated to the eastern boundary of the Auckland Circus Gardens. Good times were not to last. In 1862, the Brigadier General Commanding Presidency Division wrote to the Quarter Master General that 'open space is preserved, as a general rule around forts as a Military precaution.

And in 1864 the Club members found that a new road was being constructed which would 'cut directly through the ground and pass within a few yards of that portion of it on which the match wickets are invariably pitched' The Club's 'prayer' to the Governor General was rejected and it had to partially relocate to the ground on the eastern end of Eden Gardens, the current location of the test venue. The Club made several representations asking for permission to 'erect a suitable pavilion in the place of the wretched hut now in use'. Finally on 19 April the long awaited approval arrived. A handsome and well built pavilion measuring 125 ft by 25 ft was promptly constructed out of the finest teak brought from Burma. It even had a 'Long Room' on the lines of the MCC pavilion at Lords. The pavilion no longer exists. It was pulled in the mid 1970s for the construction of the Cricket Association of Bengal's modern B.C. Roy Clubhouse. The origin of the Ballgunge Cricket Club is a matter of some speculation.

Possibly the uncertainties regarding playing cricket at Eden Gardens in the 1850s and early 1860s led the players to form a separate Club in what was then a southern, civilian suburb of the city in 1864. Ballygunge Cricket Club had some illustrious members. J.D. Guise (1872-1953) played for India and MCC. Around the turn of the twentieth century, E.C. Cowdery and A.S. Cowdrey played for the Club regularly. EC was the grandfather of Sir Colin Cowdrey, England Captain and batsman, who was born in Bangalore. In the 1901-02 season there is interesting mention the unusual sport of Bicycle Polo a game now known as Cycle Polo, that is still played at CC&FC. India found a place on the 'international' cricket map for the first time in 1889-90 when, at the invitation of the Calcutta Cricket Club, the first ever tour of an English Cricket team, led by G.F. Vernon of Middlesex and composed entirely of amateurs took place.

The first official MCC tour of India was on, thanks entirely to the initiative of the Calcutta Cricket Club. Moreover, MCC was to be skippered by Arthur Gilligan, the Sussex and England Captain, who was then at the height of his fame. These tours were also directly responsible for the formation of the Board of Control of Cricket in India and paved the way for India to gain Test status. Subsequently the Cricket Association of Bengal had also been formed. Dr. B.C. Roy, elected of Chief Minister of West Bengal in 1948 felt that in independent India Eden Gardens ought to be the 'rightful' home of the State's cricket headquarters. On Independence Day in 1950, T.C. Longfield, President, Calcutta Cricket Club handed over Eden Gardens to the newly formed National Cricket Club. T.C. Longfield had led Bengal when they won the Ranji Trophy for the first time in 1939. In another fine gesture, Ballygunge Cricket Club, in deference to Calcutta Cricket Club, being an older Club, agreed to dissolve itself, after having transferred its lease on the Ballygunge ground to Calcutta Cricket Club.

Ballygunge Cricket Club ceased to exist but its traditions remained. The Calcutta Football Club, founded in 1872, is the oldest surviving rugby club in the world outside the United Kingdom. Why "football"? At that time, in Britain, rugby and football was synonymous. Interestingly, the Scottish Football Union, formed in 1873, did not alter its name to become the Scottish Rugby Union until 1924. By January 1873 as many as 137 members had enrolled. Probably the attraction of a bar that was free to members had something to do with its popularity! Rugby, however, suffered because of the departure of some of the regiments that had kept the game going. By 1877, because of the lack of players the remaining members decided to wind up the Club. Under the stewardship of Captain, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, G A James Rothney, the Committee decided to donate a trophy made of ornate Indian workmanship to the Rugby Football Union from the available Club funds amounting to pounds 60 sterling. The offer was accepted and even today, every year, England and Scotland play an international rugby match for the "Calcutta Cup".

In May 1884, G A James Rothney called a meeting and decided to restart the club because of the arrival of "excellent football material" which had come along with a few regiments. Rugby began in all earnestness and in 1890 the Calcutta Rugby Union Challenge Cup Tournament was inaugurated. A fine silver cup, promptly christened "Calcutta Cup" - was presented by past C F C Presidents. The tournament is played even today on the CCFC ground. The revival of the Calcutta Football Club in 1884 coincided with a renewed enthusiasm for soccer amongst Calcutta's expatriates. Three more European football clubs were formed between 1884 and 1889, along with a host of Indian football clubs. Although Calcutta Football Club stayed away from Trades Cup, the country's first open football tournament because members felt that their " enjoyment of the sport would be impaired if they join the competitive fray", it was instrumental in instituting the Indian Football Association (IFA) in Calcutta very much on London lines. In the initial years of the IFA Shield, CFC had a very creditable record.

In 1950 CFC was relegated. Declining membership also took its toll. On 14 May, 1963 CFC partially relinquished its exclusive rights on the Maidan tent and playing field in favour of Mohun Bagan Club and like Calcutta Cricket Club moved to Ballygunge. In 1965, it merged with the Calcutta Cricket Club already established there and the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club came into being. Rugby Football History The Rugby Championship The Antim Cup is contested between the rugby union teams of Romania ("The Oaks") and Georgia ("The Lelos"). It is named after the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan Antim Iverianul, who came from Georgia. The Antim Cup is contested every time Georgia and Romania meet in a senior international match BUT not at Rugby World Cup Finals and Qualifiers. The holder retains the Cup unless the challenger wins the match (no extra time whatsoever).

There was a motion from Georgia RU just before ENC 2000 decider in Tbilissi, to establish a Challenge Cup, a la Calcutta and Bledisloe Cups, which would be played for annually by Oaks and Lelos Georgian rugby folks have weighted up options and decided that the Cup should be named after whom else but reverend Antimoz Iverieli = Antim Ivirianu (c 1650 - 1716) He introduced Romanian language into liturgy, built a couple of monasteries in Bucuresti and even became arch-bishop of Muntenia (historical region in Southern Romania) Actually, Antim was Georgian by origin.

He was abducted by Ottomans in his childhood and sold as slave but then ransomed by Partiarch of Jerusalem Albeit a great patriot of his adopting country Romania, Antim always kept tight links with Georgia (Iveria) and even founded in Tbilissi, his homeland's Capital, first print-house where the first printed Bible was produced in Georgian Both Romanian and Georgian Churches regard Antim as saint, and these days the Georgia - Romania Friendship Society was also named after him Last year through influential go-betweens Rugby Supporters' League (RML) of Georgia approached on the Antim Cup issue the Patriarch of Georgian Orthodox Church, ILIA the 2nd and got His Holyness's blessing and full support This spring famous Georgian sculptor, himself a great rugby player of yesteryear, Guia Japaridze cast the Cup in guilded bronze and the RML will unveil it on Friday, 5th April, in good time for the inaugural challenge. The Bledisloe Cup was donated in 1931 by the Governor-General of New Zealand, Lord Bledisloe.

Competitions for the Cup have varied from one to three matches, sometimes with three-or four-year gaps between series, but since 1982 both countries have agreed to play at least one game for the Cup annually. The Tri-Nations ensures that the nations play each other at least two times a year. The Bledisloe Cup was first played for in 1931, when New Zealand beat Australia 20-13 in Auckland. The Cup was first won by Australia in 1934. Bledisloe Cup Fast Facts (March 1, 2004) This will be the 144th time Australia has played New Zealand since the two teams first met in 1903. In that time, NZ has won 96 Tests, Australia has won 42 and there have been 5 draws. The Bledisloe Cup has been contested 44 times over 100 Tests matches.

New Zealand has won the Cup 32 times, while Australia has won it 12 times (in 1934, 1949, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 & 2002). A Bledisloe Cup Test is responsible for the world record for attendance at a Rugby match. In 2000, 109,874 people witnessed Australia and New Zealand at Stadium Australia, in what is widely regarded as one of the best Test matches ever. This is the first Bledisloe Cup Test George Gregan has missed since 1996. Although Gregan (who has 99 Test caps) is closing in on David Campese's Australian record (101 Test caps), Campese is still the clear leader in terms of the number of Bledisloe Cup Tests played.

Campese has played New Zealand 29 times, followed by Tim Horan on 21, John Eales on 20 and Gregan on 19. The Calcutta cupwas presented to the RFU to be awarded for the winner of the annual England vs .Scotland international. The trophy originated in India. The Calcutta football club which had been started by former students of rugby school 4 years earlier had been wound up and the remaining rupees in the club's funds were melted down to be re-worked into the trophy. The Cook cup was established in 1997 when Australia and England contracted to play each other bi-annually for 10 years, on a home and away basis. The cup is named after Captain James Cook representing a notable English/Australian connection. The cup is made from crystal and was designed by Royal Doulton in London. The Gallaher Cup - France and New Zealand. (in memory of charismatic AB capt. killed during WWI). France captain Thierry Dusautoir holds the Dave Gallaher Trophy 2009 (credit Getty Images) The Hopetoun Cup was established as a perpetual trophy between Australia and Scotland in 1998.

In the spirit of the link between the two countries, it is named after the Seventh Earl of Hopetoun, a Scotsman, who, as the then Governor-General of Australia, presided over the Federation of Australia in 1901. Like the Cook Cup, the Hopetoun Cup is crystal and was designed by Royal Doulton in London. The Junior World Championships Established in 1999, the Lansdowne cup was donated to the Australian Rugby Union by the Lansdowne Club of Sydney as a perpetual trophy between Australia and Ireland. Like the Lansdowne Club, the cup is named after Dublin's famous rugby ground and was designed and made by Waterford Crystal of Ireland. The Mandela Plate Played between Australia and South Africa, this perpetual trophy was first contested in 2000 at the Colonial Stadium in Melbourne and Nelson Mandela addressed the crowd live from Sth Africa, via the electronic score board. That evening the roof of the stadium was shut, making it the world's first indoor Rugby Test. Like the Bledisloe Cup, the Mandela trophy is contested between Sth Africa and Australia on a two match home and away basis within the Tri Nations Series. The Millennium Trophy - England and Ireland. The Puma Trophy.

Established as a perpetual trophy between Argentina and Australia, the trophy is a bronzed statue of a Puma. Argentina and Australia first played against each other in 1979. The Ranfurly shield. In 1901, the Earl of Ranfurly, Governor of New Zealand, announced his intention of presenting a cup to the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, of which he was patron. Ranfurly made no stipulation as to what form the competition for the trophy should take, leaving the national union to decide. The annual general meeting of the NZRFU in 1902 decided that the cup should be for competition among affiliated unions on a challenge basis, the first holder to be the union with the best record for the 1902 season. When the trophy arrived it was found to be a shield, rather than a cup, and had obviously been designed for a soccer competition. The centre-piece was duly altered and on 13 September, 1902, the shield was presented by the Governor to G.H. Dixon, the Auckland delegate to the NZRFU. Auckland, with an unbeaten record, was declared the first winner of the Ranfurly Shield.

The shield has since become known as the Ranfurly Shield, or Log of Wood, and is played for when the holders accept challenges from other unions, scheduling home games to defend it. Every year, along with more fancied sides, second and third division sides are given chances to play for it. Those teams lift for the occasion, and bring thousands of supporters with them to the challenge venue to parade their colours. The players themselves play the hardest eighty minutes of their lives, gallantly trying to achieve what should be impossible but is shown not to be every now and then, by a team who enter the rugby folklore of this country in doing so. (Text from nzrugby.com & ranfurlyshield.com) 6 Nations. The idea of a Trophy for the Six Nations Championship was first thought of by the Earl of Westmorland, and was first presented in 1993 to France (the winners that season). It is held in trust by the Six Nations Championship Trophy Trust. The Trophy is made of 200 ounces of sterling silver and is insured for £55,000.

It was designed by James Brent-Ward, a silversmith designer, and made by eight craftsmen at the London silversmith firm William Comyns. The inside of the Trophy was originally silver, but it became so tarnished from repeated fillings with champagne that it has been lined with 22 carat gold to protect it. There are fifteen sides to the Trophy, representing each player, and three handles representing each official ie the referee and two touch judges. Around the wooden base of the Trophy is the emblem of each of the six national unions. The handle, or finial, on the lid is interchangeable and represents the current champions. The current champions are England so at the moment the finial is the one decorated with the English rose. The finials of the five challenging teams are kept in a hidden drawer in the plinth throughout the Championship. The capacity of the Trophy is exactly five bottles of champagne, one for each of the original Five Nations, and the trophy has a lip at the rim, designed so that it is easy to drink from. The Sir Edmund Hillary Shield was crafted to commemorate the achievements of the legendary conqueror of Mt Everest, New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and will be competed for whenever England play New Zealand.

Sir Hillary passed away in January 2008 aged 88. Photo: Getty Images New Zealand Captain Richie McCaw and England captain Steve Borthwick at a photo call with Lady June Hillary ahead of the game at Twickenham Nov 29th, 2008. The Shield was designed and crafted by English trophy manufacturer Thomas Lyte Silver, who have created a number of major rugby trophies and are also responsible for the care of football's famous FA Cup and golf's Ryder Cup. The circular shield features a centre circle with Sir Ed's head set against a backdrop of Mt Everest and the Himalayas. The English rose and the All Blacks logo are on either side. The trophy honours Sir Edmund's lifetime of achievements as a mountaineer, adventurer, humanitarian, and as Knight of the Garter. The Tom Richard's trophy was made for the British Lions tour to Australia in 2001 and will be contested whenever Australia and the British Lions meet. It was named after Tom Richards, the only Wallaby to have also been a British Lion*. Made of crystal, it has a portrait of Tom Richards etched into the glass.

Tom Richard's went to England with the 1908 Wallabies and later played for Gloucester which qualified him to play for the Lions. He was living in Sth Africa when the Lions toured there in 1910 and became a member of the team as a replacement for an injured player. The Tri-Nations championship is held annually between the three main rugby nations in the southern hemisphere, namely Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The TriNations is administered by SANZAR - a co-operative venture between the South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby unions. Despite the history of the Triple Crown there has never been a permanent trophy produced. The Trophy is a silver dish measuring 42cm wide and 5cm deep and weighing a hefty three kilos. The Trophy was produced by Hamilton and Inches of Edinburgh and took over four months to make.

Triple Crown history: The new Triple Crown Trophy was presented for the first time in 2006 The Triple Crown has been won 59 times The four Home Unions have been competing against each other for 125 years, since the first international between England and Wales in 1882 The Triple Crown was first won in 1893 when Wales became the first holders of the then mythical trophy Trophée des Bicentenaires. To celebrate the bi-centenaries of Australia and France in 1988 and 1989 respectively, the French Rugby Union donated this trophy to be played in perpetuity between the two countries. It is a bronze sculpture featuring two players in a tackle. Although the trophy dates from 1988, it was first contested in 1989. The Webb Ellis Cup. The Cup was made by Garrard's workshop in 1906. Garrards was appointed crown jeweler in 1843 by Queen Victoria. Garrard's first famous sporting trophy was the Royal Yacht Squadron's Cup presented in 1848 by the Marques of Anglesey.

It is better known as the America's Cup, from the first winner of the cup in 1851, the yacht America. The RWC is a Victorian copy of a cup made in 1740 by the gold and silversmith Paul de Lamerie (1688-1751), whose parents, Huguenots, had fled to London and set up a shop in Soho. The Cup is silver, gilded in gold, 38 centimetres tall with two cast scroll handles. On one there perches the head of a satyr, on the other the head of a nymph, the nymph, beautiful spirit of nature, forever safe from the randy aspirations of the goat-man. The terminals are a bearded mask, a lion mask and a vine. It was not selected for use as the RWC trophy until February 1987. John Kendall-Carpenter, the famous England forward and the Chairman of the Rugby World Cup and Air Commodore Bob Weighill, the secretary of the IRB and a former England forward,visited Garrard's, the crown jeweler in Regent Street, London.

Richard Jarvis, the Managing Director of the company, brought the Cup down from the vault and showed it to the two men. Eventually Ronnie Dawson of Ireland, Keith Rowlands of Wales, Bob Stuart and Dick Littlejohn of New Zealand and the Australians Nick Shehadie and Ross Turnbull approved of the choice. They named it 'The Webb Ellis Cup'. Information on the RWC mainly sourced from Planet rugby. Women's World Cup. Women's 6 Nation Trophy Introduced in June 2011 to be presented to the winners of the three Super Rugby Conferences. The expansion of the Super Rugby tournament meant three new trophies were needed and SANZAR have also opted to change the Super Rugby overall champion's trophy. SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters said "The chosen trophy design reflects the core elements of Rugby - tradition, physical toughness, camaraderie, and skill." Bill Beaumont Cup - English Country Championship cup. The Rugby Championship will be one of the world’s premier international rugby competitions and the new trophy that will represent the ultimate symbol of Southern Hemisphere supremacy has been revealed by SANZAR.

The exciting new evolution of the Tri-Nations kicks off on 18 August with the Rugby Championship featuring three double World Champions in the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies, as well as the exciting addition of the Argentinean Pumas. The new trophy will be presented to the winner each year from 2012 onwards. Each team is to play the other three at home and away with the total competition points after the 12 matches deciding the winner. SANZAR CEO Greg Peters explained the thinking behind the trophy. “The new trophy embodies all the elements of The Rugby Championship,” he said. “A competition of the best versus the best in world rugby, with the four teams competing ranked one, two, three and eight in the world. Over the years the competition and trophy will develop its own heritage and legacy and we look forward to that evolving.” The stainless-steel trophy was designed by Sydney based consultancy Blue Sky, and reflects The Rugby Championship logo by incorporating the ‘H’s’ as the goal posts to support the bowl. The gold panels on the bowl signify the status of the trophy and will recognise the winner of the championship. The trophy stands 56cm tall, and weighs approximately 5kg.

It was made using the latest materials and state-of-the-art design processes, before being completed with a polish to bring the new trophy up with a mirror finish. Six Nations: England hands Scots tough loss - CNN.com Six Nations: England hands Scots tough loss Motez Bishara, CNN Updated 2058 GMT (0458 HKT) February 6, 2016 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: Rugby Union: England triumphs over Scotland in Calcutta Cup England captain Dylan Hartley poses with the Calcutta Cup following his team's victory during the Six Nations match at Murrayfield Stadium on February 6, 2016. It was England's 70th win in the annual England - Scotland match -- a tradition which began in India in 1872. Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: Rugby Union: England triumphs over Scotland in Calcutta Cup Captain Dylan Hartley is all smiles as he is greeted by Jason Leonard the President of the RFU prior to kickoff during the Six Nations match between Scotland and England.

"I have no regrets, my career is my career," said the controversial England skipper. Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: Rugby Union: England triumphs over Scotland in Calcutta Cup John Barclay of Scotland is confronted by Dylan Hartley of England during the RBS Six Nations match between Scotland and England at Murrayfield Stadium on February 6, 2016 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: Rugby Union: England triumphs over Scotland in Calcutta Cup Jonny Gray of Scotland wins lineout ball under pressure from Joe Launchbury of England during the RBS Six Nations match between Scotland and England at Murrayfield Stadium on February 6, 2016 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: Rugby Union: England triumphs over Scotland in Calcutta Cup Lock George Kruis of England crashes over to score the opening try during the RBS Six Nations match between Scotland and England at Murrayfield Stadium on February 6, 2016 in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: Rugby Union: England triumphs over Scotland in Calcutta Cup Dylan Harltey says he was as surprised as anyone when he was appointed England captain by manager Eddie Jones. Hartley has been suspended many times for various on-field infractions, including a 26-week ban in 2007 for making contact with an opponent's eye. Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: Rugby Union: England triumphs over Scotland in Calcutta Cup Australian Eddie Jones, who previously coached in Japan, made headlines when took over the England job in November. He is the first non-Englishman to take the post. Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: Rugby Union: England triumphs over Scotland in Calcutta Cup France nipped Italy 23- 21 in the opening game of the 2016 Six Nations tournament. Virimi Vakatawa of France breaks free from a tackle by Gonzalo Garcia of Italy during the RBS Six Nations match between France and Italy at Stade de France on February 6, 2016 in Paris, France.

Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: Rugby Union: England triumphs over Scotland in Calcutta Cup The original Calcutta Cup trophy was designed in India in 1878 to commemorate an annual match between Scotland and England. In 1988 the cup -- made out of melted Indian Rupees -- was damaged, and replicas were ordered to preserve the original, which now sits in the Museum of Rugby in Twickenham. The cup is held by England players after victory in 2004. Hide Caption England win annual Calcutta Cup Eddie Jones wins first match as England coach Captain Dylan Hartley dominates on defense (CNN) Newly appointed England manager Eddie Jones is no stranger to attention, and it shows. Under the spotlight of the Calcutta Cup -- an annual Six Nations fixture between England and Scotland -- the former Australia manager notched a 15-9 win at Murrayfield in his very first match in charge. Follow @cnnsport George Kruis opened up the scoring for England with a try in the first half, and Owen Farrell successfully converted to give England an early 7-0 lead.

Scottish captain Greig Laidlaw scored three penalties, though he also missed a crucial attempt in the first half. Scotland, however, were never a serious threat to score against the stingy England defense led by Dylan Hartley. A photo posted by England Rugby (@englandrugby) on Feb 6, 2016 at 9:15am PST Read More The oft-disciplined 29-year-old -- who was surprisingly awarded the England captaincy by Jones -- was a model of levelheadedness throughout the day, surely aware of the intense focus on his behavior. "It's huge, I'm more happy that we won as a team," a visibly winded Hartley said after the match. "Put the personal stuff aside and I'm just chuffed to be out there with the team." Before the match, Harltey had admitted being surprised by the nomination from Jones -- understanding that there are those waiting for the decision to blow up on his manager. "Of course I am (surprised).

There's plenty to talk about isn't there?" Hartley told the BBC before the match, referring to his long history of infractions -- starting with a 26-week suspension in 2007 for making contact with the eye of a Wasps player. He went on to validate his coach's decision before taking the field. "I have experience in the job at club level and I know how to lead a team," he said. "I have no regrets, my career is my career, it's my life, and all these things that happened, they are life lessons. They made me the person and the player that I am. I like to say I'm pretty resilient. A photo posted by England Rugby (@englandrugby) on Feb 6, 2016 at 10:47am PST "I'm trying not to get caught up in this whole captaincy, I'm just trying to be the best player I can be. After the match, Jones expressed content with his star player's performance. "It was a difficult game for him as captain and I think he did really well," he told the BBC after the match. "In all honesty I always thought we would win the game," Jones added.

"The only way we weren't going to win the game is if we did something silly. We just had to play a different way, and that's pragmatic football." Tensions high Tension between the sides was high; a scuffle nearly broke out with 10 minutes to play, as Farrell shoved Laidlaw off the pitch when the Scotsman attempted to block his path to the ball. "I thought we created opportunities, but we just didn't finish them off," Scotland coach Vern Cotter said to the BBC after the match. "There's a lot more to come from this team." Scotland, it appeared, were still reeling from their controversial loss to Australia in the quarterfinal of last year's Rugby World Cup, when South African referee Craig Joubert awarded a questionable penalty to Australia, who went on to win by one point. In the early match France nipped Italy 23-21 on a late score, despite trailing for most of the match.

History of Scottish Rugby | Scottish Rugby Union The Scottish Football Union was founded in 1873, ahead of a change to fifteen-a-side (from twenty-a-side) in 1877, the formation of the International Rugby Football Board in 1886 and the instigation of a points scoring system for rugby in 1889. The beginnings of international rugby football The very first rugby international match was played at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, on Monday, 27 March 1871, on the cricket field of The Edinburgh Academy. The first nine international matches in Scotland were all played on established cricket fields. A temporary stand was erected at Raeburn place at a cost of £45. Read more about the development of rugby in Scotland in “ Rugby Union: the game comes to Scotland " (pdf). A home for Scottish Rugby In 1897, the Scottish Football Union, as it was then called, bought land at Inverleith. This was the home of rugby in Scotland until the first Murrayfield Stadium was built in 1925, on ground bought from the Edinburgh Polo Club.

For a full history of Scottish Rugby’s journey to its current home at Murrayfield Stadium, see “ From Raeburn Place to Murrayfield " (pdf). The Calcutta Cup The Calcutta Cup is an ornate silver trophy in memory of the Calcutta Football Club, which closed down just four years after it was formed. Scotland and England compete for the cup each 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.

Question: The Calcutta Cup is played for in which sport?
Answer: Rugby Union