Howe of Fife RFC

Howe of Fife RFC is a rugby union club based in Cupar, Fife, Scotland. It was founded in 1921, and they play in blue and white hoops.^[1] The men's first XV team currently competes in Scottish National League Division Three, the women's XV - known as Howe Harlequins - plays in Scottish Womens National One.

Howe of Fife RFC

Full name	Howe of Fife Rugby Football Club
Union	Scottish Rugby Union
Nickname(s)	Howe, The Howe, Howe o Fife, Quins, Harlequins
Emblem(s)	Knight in black armour on horse
Founded	1st XV – 1921; 102 years ago (1921), Quins – 2014
Location	Cupar, Scotland
Region	Fife/Caledonia
Ground(s)	Duffus Park (Capacity: 280)
President	Gordon Douglas
Coach(es)	1st XV – Stewart Lathangie Quins – Jack Sinclair
Captain(s)	1st XV – Fraser Allan, Quins – Emma Wood
League(s)	Men:  Scottish National League Division Three  Women:  Scottish Womens National One
2021–22	Men:  Scottish National League Division Three, 3rd of 10  Women:  Scottish Womens National One Home Strip Away Strip
Official website
www.howerugby.co.uk

History

Previously, the club had two undefeated seasons in 2007 and 2008, earning them rights to promotion. The 1st XV are currently coached by Stewart Lathangie. The captain is Fraser Allan. The Howe run teams from Primary 3 level up to under-18 colts level. Many players have gone on to represent Fife, Caledonia, and Scotland at age grade level, with a handful going on to represent professional clubs. In 2007, current first XV Captain Chris Mason led the under-18 Howe of Fife squad to a unique treble winning both the school (as Bell Baxter High School) and the Club Scottish cups as well as the Scottish schools sevens cup. A number of the players involved in that team now play for the senior side.

Howe Harlequins are the 1st XV Women's team, founded in 2014. The Duffus Park-based club have barely been in existence a few years but have been making massive strides in the women's game. In 2017, they won the BT National Division 2 Championship which promoted them into National 1. With the recent changes to the women's league names, they now start the 2018 season in the Tennent's Women's National League 1. The Harlequins originally got together as a way for women to keep fit through rugby. But with a competitive spirit growing, added to a developing skillset, the side started to play matches against other teams. Since then, the Harlequins haven't looked back. President Murdo Fraser paid tribute to the side after their title win. "Our women's team have shown that anything is possible and we are all very proud of the team and what they have achieved", he said at the time.

In 2017 and 2018, the club was associated with the commemorations of the Battles of the Somme and Arras, including the Eric Milroy commemorative tournament. These Franco-Scottish events gave birth in February 2018 to the creation of the Auld Alliance Trophy, played every year as part of the six nations tournament.

Suspensions

In November 2017 several of the club's 1st XV men's team received 347 total weeks of suspension for incidents that took place the previous year in which a new player was sexually assaulted by having a bottle inserted into their anus after a match.^[2][3]

Howe of Fife Sevens

The club run the Howe of Fife Sevens tournament.^[4]

Honours

Men

• Howe of Fife Sevens^[4]
  • Champions: 1975, 1977, 1986, 1990, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
• Stirling Sevens^[5]
  • Champions: 1956, 1958, 1987, 2012
• Highland Sevens^[6]
  • Champions: 1957
• Clarkston Sevens^[7]
  • Champions: 1963
• Waid Academy F.P. Sevens^[8]
  • Champions: 1957, 1958, 1960, 1968, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1996
• Moray Sevens^[9]
  • Champions: 1959, 1987
• Haddington Sevens^[10]
  • Champions: 2017
• Midlands District Sevens^[11]
  • Champions: 1949, 1957, 1959, 1983, 1987
• Perthshire Sevens^[12]
  • Champions: 2015
• Kirkcaldy Sevens^[13]
  • Champions: 1950, 1956, 1957, 1982
• Hamilton Sevens^[14]
  • Champions: 2013, 2014, 2015
• Scottish National League Division Two
  • Champions (1): 2011–12
  • Runners-up (3): 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
• Scottish National League Division Three
  • Champions (1): 2009–10

Women

• Dundee City Sevens^[15]
  • Champions (2): 2021, 2022

Notable players and personnel

• David Rollo, 40 caps for Scotland, British and Irish Lions^[16][17][18]
• Cameron Glasgow/Cammy Glasgow^[16][19]
• Gordon Hamilton Ireland flanker, scored against Australia in 1991 Rugby World Cup^[16][19]
• Tom Pearson, president of the Scottish Rugby Union, 1988–1989^[20]
• David Whyte, 13 caps for Scotland, played for Howe during his youth.^[21]
• Charlie Drummond, Scotland cap, president of the SRU 1974–1975.^[22]
• Dougie McMahon, international referee 1960–1969^[22]
• John Howard Wilson, capped for Scotland in 1953.
• Ian Kirkhope^[23]
• HL Stewart, played cricket for Scotland.^[1]
• Bob Steven, Scotland^[24]
• Peter Horne, Glasgow Warriors capped for Scotland in 2013
• Chris Fusaro, Glasgow Warriors capped for Scotland in 2014
• Fergus Thomson, Glasgow Warriors capped for Scotland A and Scotland
• Michael Fedo, Scotland sevens international
• George Horne, Glasgow Warriors, Scotland sevens international and Scotland
• Jamie Ritchie, Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland
• Cameron Fenton, Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby
• Matt Fagerson, Glasgow Warriors and Scotland

References

1. Club history 9 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 16 November 2009
2. "Howe of Fife: Scottish Rugby Union hands out bans for initiation ceremony". BBC Sport. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
3. de Menezes, Jack (3 November 2017). "Howe of Fife RFC receive 347 weeks of bans after initiation ceremony saw 'bottle inserted in to player's anus'". The Independent. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
4. "Howe of Fife Sevens". 7 June 2019.
5. "Stirling Sevens". 7 June 2019.
6. "Highland Sevens". 10 June 2019.
7. "Clarkston Sevens". 7 June 2019.
8. "Waid Academy F.P. Sevens". 7 June 2019.
9. "Moray Sevens". 7 June 2019.
10. "Haddington Sevens". 7 June 2019.
11. "Midlands District Sevens". 7 June 2019.
12. "Perthshire Sevens". 7 June 2019.
13. "Kirkcaldy Sevens". 7 June 2019.
14. "Hamilton Sevens". 7 June 2019.
15. "Dundee City Sevens". 2 August 2021.
16. Ferguson, David Rollo sets target for pupils of today, The Scotsman, published 20 December 2006
17. Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; ISBN 0-904919-84-6), p166
18. . Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
19. . Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
20. . Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
21. . Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
22. . Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
23. . Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
24. . Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Sources

1. Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; ISBN 0-904919-84-6)

External links

• Official website
• Howe of Fife Rugby Club and supporters
• https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/sport/fife-rugby-club-helps-launch-new-trophy-marking-auld-alliance-links-1047053
• fr:Trophée Auld Alliance