The 1875–76 Home Nations rugby union matches are a series of international friendlies held between the England, Ireland and Scotland national rugby union teams. These were the last international rugby games to field teams of twenty players a side, the teams reducing to fifteen a side in the 1876–77 season.

Results

13 December 1875

Ireland	0–1	England

Leinster Cricket Club, Ireland

6 March 1876

England	1–0	Scotland

Kennington Oval, England Attendance: 4,000

Scoring system

The matches for this season were decided on goals scored. A goal was awarded for a successful conversion after a try, for a dropped goal or for a goal from mark. If a game was drawn, any unconverted tries were tallied to give a winner. If there was still no clear winner, the match was declared a draw.

The matches

Ireland vs. England

13 December 1875

Ireland	nil – 1G 1T	England
		Try: Clark Kewley Con: Pearson

Leinster Cricket Ground, Rathmines, Ireland Referee: A Combe ( Ireland)

Ireland: RB Walkington ( NIFC), H Moore (Windsor), BN Casement ( Wanderers), EW Hobson ( Dublin University), RJ Bell ( NIFC) capt., AP Cronyn ( Dublin University), G Andrews ( NIFC), DT Arnott ( Lansdowne), WH Ash ( NIFC), HL Cox ( Lansdowne), WA Cuscaden (Bray), W Finlay (Windsor), R Galbraith ( Dublin University), R Greer (Kingstown), J Ireland (Windsor), JA McDonald (Methodist College), RM Maginess ( Dublin University), EN McIlwaine ( NIFC), HD Walsh ( Dublin University), AJ Westby ( Dublin University)

England: SHM Login ( Royal Naval College), Alec Pearson ( Blackheath), CR Gunner ( Marlborough Nomads), AT Michell ( Oxford University), CWH Clark ( Liverpool), WE Collins ( St George's Hospital), J V Brewer ( Gipsies), CC Bryden ( Clapham Rovers), Andrew Bulteel ( Manchester), James Bush ( Clifton), HJ Graham ( Wimbledon Hornets), JDG Graham ( Wimbledon Hornets), W Greg ( Manchester), WHH Hutchinson ( Hull), Edward Kewley ( Liverpool), Francis Luscombe ( Gipsies) capt., EE Marriott ( Manchester), Murray Marshall ( Blackheath), Edward Beadon Turner ( St George's Hospital), CL Verelst ( Liverpool)

England vs. Scotland

England (left) and Scotland teams for the match

6 March 1876

England	1G 1T – nil	Scotland
Try: Collins Lee Con: Stokes

Kennington Oval, London Attendance: 4,000 Referee: A Rutter ( England)

England: Alec Pearson ( Blackheath), AH Heath ( Oxford University), Reg Birkett ( Clapham Rovers), L Stokes ( Blackheath), TS Tetley ( Bradford), WE Collins ( St George's Hospital), WC Hutchinson ( RIE College), FR Adams ( Richmond), James Bush ( Clifton), EC Cheston ( Richmond), HJ Graham ( Wimbledon Hornets), W Greg ( Manchester), WH Hunt ( Preston Grasshoppers), Edward Kewley ( Liverpool), Francis Luscombe ( Gipsies) capt., Murray Marshall ( Blackheath), WCW Rawlinson ( Blackheath), GR Turner ( St George's Hospital), Roger Walker ( Manchester)

Scotland: JS Carrick ( Glasgow Academicals), T Chalmers ( Glasgow Academicals), Malcolm Cross ( Glasgow Academicals), Ninian Finlay ( Edinburgh Academicals), AK Stewart ( Edinburgh University RFC), GQ Paterson ( Edinburgh Academicals), DH Watson ( Glasgow Academicals), Allan Arthur ( Glasgow Academicals), WH Bolton ( West of Scotland), NT Brewis (Edinburgh Inst FP), CW Cathcart ( Edinburgh University RFC), Daniel Drew ( Glasgow Academicals), George Raphael Fleming ( Glasgow Academicals), JHS Graham ( Edinburgh Academicals), RW Irvine ( Edinburgh Academicals) capt., JE Junor ( Glasgow Academicals), D Lang ( Paisley), AG Petrie (Royal HSFP), J Reid ( Edinburgh Wanderers), Charles Villar ( Edinburgh Wanderers)

Bibliography

• Griffiths, John (1987). The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records. London: Phoenix House. ISBN  0-460-07003-7.

References