| Full name | Glasgow Hawks RFC | ||
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| Union | Scottish Rugby Union | ||
| Founded | 1997 - merged team 1866 - Glasgow Academicals FC 1882 - Glasgow High Kelvinside RFC |
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| Location | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Ground(s) | Old Anniesland | ||
| Chairman | Alasdair Graham | ||
| Coach(es) | Peter Wright | ||
| League(s) | Premiership Division One | ||
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| Official website | |||
| www.glasgowhawks.com | |||
Glasgow Hawks are an amateur rugby union team in Glasgow, Scotland. They were Premiership Division One champions for 3 consecutive seasons from 2003/04 to 2005/06.
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In Paris on 27 August 1995 a meeting of the International Rugby Board declared that professionalism was to allowed in rugby. At that time there were differing views as to whether Districts or Premier clubs in Scotland would take the game forward into the professional era and, with a number of top Glasgow players moving east, Glasgow rugby was looking extremely vulnerable.
Although some thought it highly unlikely that Glasgow Academicals (1866) and GHK (1884) might merge, during season 1996/97 Brian Simmers decided it was worth looking at. After meetings with the SRU, Dunc Paterson, Bill Watson, Jim Telfer and Bill Hogg, and meetings with senior players from both clubs, Fergus and Murray Wallace, Walter Malcolm, Cammy Little, Gordon Mackay, Chas Afuakwah, Stuart Simmers, he produced a proposal for rugby at Anniesland which created a new club, Glasgow Hawks, but retained the "founder" clubs, Glasgow Academicals and GHK. Discussions had also taken place with West of Scotland to come on board but these did not progress. However the "W" in HAWKS still remains!
This initial structure was finalised with the help of Sandy Neilson(GHK), Lorne Crerar (GHK), Richard Eadie(GHK), Graham McKnight(GA), Sandy Bannerman(GAC), David Jerdan(GHK), Kenny Hamilton(GHK), David Williams(GHK) and Hugh Barrow and it was agreed that this was preferable to a straight merger as it would maximise player numbers at Old and New Anniesland. Ownership of Glasgow Hawks RFC Limited would be one share (50%) each held by Glasgow Academicals Sports Club (now Glasgow Academical Club) and GHK (now Glasgow High School Club Ltd.). It was also agreed that Hawks 1 st XV would play alternately at Old and New with the 2nd XV playing at the unused ground. (For cost and facility reasons Hawks moved entirely to Old Anniesland in 2001 and as a result of poor ground conditions, Hawks 2 nd XV agreed, in 2007, to play at New Anniesland).
Brian Simmers established with the SRU that Hawks would take over the top club's (GHK) position in Premier 2 from the end of season 1996/97 but was unable to persuade them to allow GHK and Accies a position in the National Divisions and they therefore had to start at the foot of the Regionals. This structure was presented to each of the "founder" clubs at EGMs, both held on 3 June 1997, and a massi ve majority at each club agreed the proposal. Glasgow Hawks was in business! In June 2003 Glasgow Hawks became a full member of the SRU.
In season 1997/98 contracted players were playing for Premier 1 clubs and Hawks, funded by generous sponsors, had managed to pull together a formidable squad. The majority were Scottish representative players with eventual internationalists Glenn Metcalfe, Derek Stark and Murray Wallace joined by Cook Island internationalists Tommy Hayes and Mike Beckham. Hawks won the second division league title, the Scottish Cup and were 2 nd XV league champions. At the end of this very successful season 8 players moved out of Hawks to professional rugby in Scotland and beyond.
1999/2000 Hawks lost to Boroughmuir in the Scottish Cup Final and played the Co-optimists to mark the opening of the Jimmie Ireland stand at Old Anniesland and combined with West of Scotland, again to play the Co-optimists, to mark the opening of their new stand at Burnbrae. 2001/02 Hawks are runners-up to Hawick (losing in extra time) in the Scottish Cup Final. 2003/04 Hawks win Premier 1 Championship, Scottish Cup and 2nd XV Championship. 2004/05 Hawks retain Premier 1 and 2nd XV LeagueChampionships 2005/06 Hawks secure the hattrick of Premier 1 Championships at Meggetland, the first time in 80 years that a club from Glasgow has achieved this honour. 2006/07 Hawks win the Scottish Cup for the third time and in May 2007 beat the Royal Navy in a memorial match for Craig Hodgkinson.
It has always been a policy of Hawks to test themselves against "foreign" opposition: 1998, Stade Toulousain, France 1999, Club Atlético del Rosario, Argentina 2003, Tour of South Africa (3 matches) 2004, Sale Academy 2005, Racing Club de France 2006, Capitolina, Rome. All of these games were won except against Capitolina.
Hawks has accepted the introduction of the professional districts and agree with the decision by the SRU in 2007 to reduce the number of districts to two on the grounds that they are effectively funded and therefore should become successful in Celtic and European competition, which must be of benefit to the national team.
Hawks also believe that the next level below these teams should be Premier 1, which should include periphery professional and academy players, playing in their club of origin, competing in a strong domestic league and in a X Border competition against the English Academy sides thus creating a very strong second tier of semi professional rugby.
In their "foreign" fixtures Hawks has proved time and again that Premier 1 clubs can succeed at that level and as a result Hawks has been able to serve the Scottish game effectively by preparing and producing players capable of taking the next step into professional and international rugby.
OVER 10 YEARS:
Directors of Rugby: 1997/99 Iain Russell 1999/00 Kenny Hamilton 2000/07 John Roxburgh 2007/08 Hamish Fyfe 2008/09 Peter Wright
Hawks Coaches: 1997/99 Iain Russell/Bill Macdonald 1999/2000 Bill Macdonald/Shade Munro 2000/01 Shade Munro/David Wilson 2001/03 Shade Munro/Jim Barrie 2003/05 Peter Wright/Rob Ackerman/Colin Ireland (2005) 2005/06 David Wilson/Mark Sitch 2006/07 David Wilson/David Cockburn/Keith Robertson 2007/08 David Wilson/David Cockburn 2008/09 Peter Wright/Davie Wilson/Jamie Dempsey 2009/10 Peter Wright/Jamie Dempsey/Chris Reid 2010/11 Peter Wright/Jamie Dempsey/Chris Reid
Hawks 1st XV Captains: 1997/98 David Wilson 1998/99 David Wilson 1999/00 Scott Hutton 2000/01 Scott Hutton 2001/02 Chris Docherty 2002/03 Iain Leighton 2003/04 Chris Docherty 2004/05 Eric Milligan 2005/06 Eric Milligan 2006/07 Steven Duffy 2007/08 Mark Sitch 2008/09 Steven Duffy 2009/10 Rory Mackay 2010/11 Rory Mackay
Hawks Players Capped: 9 Scottish Caps, 1 "A" cap, 5 Sevens caps Scotland "Club" Caps: 6. Scotland U 21 Caps: 25. Scotland U19 Caps: 11 Hawks Players awarded professional contracts: 37 Hawks Coaches awarded professional contracts: Shade Munro, Peter Wright. Glasgow Award for Services to Rugby: 2004 John Roxburgh 2005 Tom Howie Glasgow Player of the year: 2004 Mark Sitch. Scottish Rugby Team of the year: Glasgow Hawks 1998 and 2004. Scottish Premier 1 Player of the year: 2005 Richard Maxton. Glasgow Team of the year, all sports: 2004 Glasgow Hawks
Officials:
Chairman: 1997/98 Brian Simmers 1998/99 Brian Simmers 1999/00 Brian Simmers 2000/01 Brian Simmers 2001/02 Brian Simmers 2002/03 Tom Howie 2003/04 Tom Howie 2004/05 Brian Simmers 2005/06 Kenny Hamilton 2006/07 Kenny Hamilton 2007/08 Kenny Hamilton 2008/09 Kenny Baillie 2009/ Alan Macintosh
Secretary: 1997/2007 Hugh Barrow 2007/ Gordon McCallum
Treasurer: 1997/03 Richard Eadie 2003/07 Kenny Wilson
Chief Executive: 2008/09 Kenny Baillie
For the History of the club prior to 1997 please see Glasgow Academicals RFC#History
Glasgow Hawks RFC was formed in 1997 with the merger of the first XV teams of a long established club - Glasgow Academicals FC (1866) and the newer Glasgow High Kelvinside RFC (1982), they requested West of Scotland to join them when they first formed, but West rejected. Glasgow Hawks play at Old Anniesland.
In their initial season The Hawks won the second division championship and the Scottish Cup and have continued in the first division since, and have since been beaten finalists on two further occasions.
For Internationals from the club's predecessor clubs please see:
From 1997 merger:
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