1871–72 Home Nations rugby union matches

The 1871-72 Home Nations rugby union matches was a single international friendly held between the England and Scotland national rugby union teams. With no other recognised rugby union teams in Britain or the rest of the World, the encounter between Scotland and England represented the only possible match that could be arranged, and would continue as such until 1875, when Ireland formed a national team.

Results

5 February 1872

England	2 – 1	Scotland

Kennington Oval, England

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

England vs. Scotland

5 February 1872

England	1G, 1DG, 2T – 1DG	Scotland
Try: D'Aguilar Finney Hamersley Con: Isherwood Drop: Freeman		Drop: Cathcart

Kennington Oval, London

England: A. G. Guillemard (West Kent), Frederick Mills (Marlborough Nomads), William Moberly (Ravenscourt Park), Harold Freeman (Marlborough Nomads), John Edmund Bentley (Gipsies), Stephen Finney (I.C.E. College), P. Wilkinson (Law Club), Thomas Batson (Blackheath), James Body (Gipsies), James Bush (Clifton), Frederick Currey (Marlborough Nomads), D'Aguilar (Royal Engineers), Alfred St. George Hamersley (Marlborough Nomads), Francis Isherwood (Ravenscourt Park), Francis Luscombe (Gipsies), James Mackinlay (St George's Hospital), William Wyatt Pinching (Guy's Hospital), Charles Sherrard (Royal Engineers), Frederick Stokes (Blackheath) capt., Dawson Turner (Richmond)

Scotland: WD Brown (Glasgow Academicals), T Chalmers (Glasgow Academicals), LM Balfour (Edinburgh Academicals), TR Marshall (Edinburgh Academicals), RP Maitland (Royal Artillery), JW Arthur (Glasgow Academicals), FJ Moncreiff (Edinburgh Academicals) capt., William Cross (Merchistonians), J Anderson (West of Scotland), EM Bannerman (Edinburgh Academicals), CW Cathcart (Edinburgh University), AG Colvile (Merchistonians), JF Finlay (Edinburgh Academicals), RW Irvine (Edinburgh Academicals), W Marshall (Edinburgh Academicals), JLH MacFarlane (Edinburgh University), JH McClure (West of Scotland), FT Maxwell (Royal Engineers), JAW Mein (Edinburgh Academicals), Henry Renny-Tailyour (Royal Engineers)