The Calcutta Cup

The Calcutta Cup is one of the oldest trophies still contested in international sport. The trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual Six Nations Championship clash between England and Scotland, and commemorates one of the earliest international rugby matches ever played.

Calcutta Cup Facts

The Calcutta Club has been contested 116 times during the history of the Six Nations Championship and the preceding tournaments. Despite the fact that England has dominated the Championship during its history, and boasts a far superior tournament record to Scotland, the Scots have traditionally held their own in the Calcutta Cup.

England has won 63 of their Calcutta Cup encounters against Scotland, whilst the Scots have won the Calcutta Cup on 39 occasions. The Calcutta Cup has been shared by England and Scotland on 14 occasions.

Calcutta Cup History

The Calcutta Cup is the product of a rugby test match played in the Indian city of Calcutta in 1872. The test pitted a 20 man team from England against a 20 man combined Irish, Welsh and Scottish team. The game received an enthusiastic reception from the local population, and one week later the two sides met again.

The success of these early internationals prompted the founding of several rugby clubs in the area, which, however, proved unable to survive the humid Indian climate and eventually disbanded as members took up more suitable sports. One of these clubs, the Calcutta Club, celebrated its demise by having its savings melted down into a silver trophy.

This trophy was awarded to the Rugby Football Union of England, and was subsequently used as a prize for whichever team won the annual Home Nations encounter between England and Scotland in the Six Nations. Over the history of the tournament the Calcutta Cup has consistently been one of England’s toughest games, as the Scots typically raise their game for the occasion and routinely claim the cup when playing at Murrayfield.

Other Six Nations Trophies

The Calcutta Cup is not the only trophy awarded to the winner of a Six Nations rivalry. Other trophies awarded during the tournament include:

• The Centenary Quaich: A trophy contested between Scotland and Wales since 1989.
• Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy: A trophy contested between Italy and France, and named in memory of the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi.
• The Millennium Trophy: Contested between Ireland and England since 1988.