08/14/2024
The birth of North American rugby... It is often reported that the first rugby match in Canada took place in Montreal in 1863. The match report below dates from 1862 with a summary of the scores which included 2 rouges, act of grounding the ball in one's in-goal and one of the common scoring actions in early rugby football matches. This action would indicate that November 16, 1862 saw the first rugby match in Canada and North America taking place that day on the Montreal Cricket Grounds.
La naissance du rugby nord-américain...on suppose souvent que le premier match de rugby au Canada a eu lieu à Montréal en 1863. Le rapport de match ci-dessous date de 1862 avec un résumé des scores qui comprenait 2 rouges, action d'écraser le ballon dans son but et l'une des actions de marquage courantes lors des premiers matchs de football de rugby indiquerait que le 16 novembre 1862 a vu le premier match de rugby au Canada et en Amérique du Nord avoir lieu à Montréal ce jour.
FOOT BALL IN CANADA
Grenadiers Guards vs Scots Fusilier Guards
NOV. 16, 1862 – BELLS LIFE IN LONDON & SPORTING CHRONICLES – P. 4
A Match was Played on the Cricket Grounds, Montreal, on Oct. 15, 1862, between the First Battalion Grenadier Guards and the Second Battalion Scots Fusilier Guards. The sides were
Grenadiers: Lt Col Higginson, Lt Col Bramston, Capt Wynne, Capt Phillips, Capt N.
Melville, Capt Fairfax, Capt Viscount Uffington, Lt Lane-Fox, Lt Herbert, Lt Stanley, Lt
Crichton and Lt Duncombe – Scots Fusiliers: Lt Col Hon W. Coke, Lt Col Fletcher, Lt Col
Hon H. Annesley, Capt. Rous, Capt. Bereaford, Capt. Paynter, Capt. Shelley, Capt Hon J.
Riphinstone, Capt. Stephenson, Lt Farquarson, Lt Barne and Capt MacLaughlin.
Umpires: Lt Col D. Horsey (Grenadier Guards) and C. Horne, Esq (16Th Regiment).
The Grenadier Guards won by 3 goals and 2 rouges to nothing.
https://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/resources/Melvin_Smith/1862%20football%20in%20Canada.pdf