Spanning four days, from 22nd – 25th October and once again at Inverleith Park, the 19th instalment of the annual Caledonian Thebans Rugby Clinic promises to be the biggest yet.
The oldest inclusive rugby club in Scotland and embedded in the LBGT community, the Thebans are set to welcome teams from across the British Isles and also Switzerland with a club travelling from Geneva.
A total of 500 participants are expected for an event featuring coaching, competition and social activity.
Ellie Bartlett, Chair of the Caledonian Thebans says::
“We are incredibly excited for this year’s Thebans Rugby Clinic.
“We’ll welcome over 500 players, coaches, and supporters from across the UK and Europe to Inverleith Park – not only will we have Men’s+ (transgender) Union and Touch rugby but for the first time ever we’ll have a Women’s+ Union rugby tournament.
“As Scotland’s oldest and Edinburgh’s only LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby club, we’re committed to playing our part in growing the game. With so many rugby clubs struggling, we believe it’s never been more important to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for people to take up or return to the game – the Thebans Rugby Clinic is one way we do that.”
Since the formation of the men’s+ team in 2002 Thebans have been pushing boundaries on and off the pitch to provide a welcoming environment for anyone who wants to play rugby. In 2023 they established the Caledonian Thebans Hydra, a women’s+ side. In 2025 the club’s first Touch Rugby team – Caledonian Thebans Midas – arrived and a men’s+ 2XV union team began competing for the first time.
- Caledonian Thebans are also proud members of the International Gay Rugby Association (IGR) which has seen them play and win silverware in such diverse locations as Oslo, Rome, Birmingham, Dublin, Sydney, Nashville, and Amsterdam.
- Caledonian Thebans Men’s+ 1st XV compete in the Arnold Clark East Region League Division 3.
- The Thebans Hydra play in the Arnold Clark Aspiring League while the touch rugby team, Thebans Midas, play in one of Edinburgh’s In2Touch Leagues, as well as IGR touch fixtures.
The annual Clinic is a development focused rugby jamboree starting with a welcome event on Thursday evening, a full day of coaching on Friday, a tournament day followed by a themed afterparty on the Saturday and a Kangaroo Court on the Sunday.
- Teams will play for several pieces of silverware. They are:
- Jim Reilly Memorial Cup: Jim Reilly was a long term member and Head Coach of the Caledonian Thebans RFC. Jim was well known and respected within the Edinburgh Rugby scene and then within the IGR community during his tenure as Thebans Head Coach and Director of Rugby. His dedication, kind nature, and robust coaching style brought the Thebans from a start-up social club to a league competing titan of a team. Jim sadly lost his life during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the club is part of his legacy. This Shield is dedicated to his memory and donated by his loving wife Karen.
- Alan Reynolds Memorial Shield: Alan Reynolds was Head Coach and an Honorary President of the Caledonian Thebans in some of its most challenging years. His dedication and spirit are woven into the club’s fabric. Alan’s commitment to the inclusive cause and pushing for ‘rugby for everyone’ embodied the Thebans ethos. Sadly, Alan lost his battle with cancer, but until his last day remained a loyal and dedicated advocate for rugby, Scotland and the Caledonian Thebans. His legacy is canonised in the Alan Reynolds Memorial Cup, donated by his loving wife Suzanne.
- The Norma Norbury Trophy: Norma Norbury was the club’s first Honorary President, a steadfast Thebans supporter and a constant in its community until her passing earlier this year. Norma’s memory lives on as the namesake ffirst ever Women’s+ silverware. Her trophy will be presented to the victorious Women’s+ team for the first time at this Clinic, by her loving son and life member of the Thebans, Mike.
- The Colm Cunningham Cup: Named after the first Theban who in 2002 put a sign up in the Laughing Duck pub asking if any one wanted to play rugby – the rest is history! As a new club, the Thebans began as a touch team until they had clearance to play union so the name honours Touch roots.
- The clinic will once again be sponsored by Total Control Security ensuring that enrolment costs can be kept down.
