Murrayfield Is 100 on 21 March

Scottish Rugby will be gathering the greats of the past, present and future to kick-off the centenary year celebrations of Scotland’s biggest stadium.

The event will be held at Scottish Gas Murrayfield later this week, on the exact anniversary date.

Murrayfield’s history began with its inaugural match on 21 March 1925, when Scotland triumphed over England 14-11 to secure our first Grand Slam.

A century on, this iconic venue has hosted more than 300 international matches, including Rugby World Cup fixtures and the British & Irish Lions, featuring the greatest names in rugby. It has also held over 30 concerts for global music superstars such as U2, Madonna, One Direction, Oasis and most recently, Taylor Swift.

From June to December 2024, events held at Scottish Gas Murrayfield generated £120.4million economic value to Scotland, with these events being a crucial way to support the entire rugby ecosystem in Scotland by generating critical funds that go into the community game.

Beyond rugby, Murrayfield has welcomed a multitude of other sports including rugby league, football, American football, hockey and lacrosse, as well as hosting Highland Games, weddings, a Papal visit, the announcement of Sir Chris Hoy’s retiral from competitive cycling and the unveiling of political leaders, including Scotland’s First Minister!

Alex Williamson, Scottish Rugby CEO, said: “Murrayfield has been the heart of Scottish Rugby for 100 years, and this year-long celebration is a chance for fans, players, and legends to come together and honour its incredible history.

“It’s also an opportunity to look ahead and ensure the stadium continues to create lasting memories for generations to come.

“We have a rolling programme of development in place to invest in the areas that need it most. We’re also working hard on both short and long-term solutions to ensure Scottish Gas Murrayfield evolves to meet the demands of its growing use.

“Whilst we continue to look at the needs of our stadium now, our principal partner Scottish Gas has been looking at what our stadium could be like in 100 years from now, which will offer a really exciting chance to see how far we may come in another century.”

Scotland Men co-captain, Finn Russell, said: “Murrayfield is such a special place to play, and every time is a privilege.

“Matchdays have grown over the years with fans turning up in huge numbers to welcome us off the bus and meet us after the game.

“Players we play against often comment about how much they enjoy playing at Murrayfield and it gives us an extra advantage with the noise generated.

“The history of Scottish Rugby is important to us as players, and we’re reminded of that with various nice touches in our dressing room. We look forward to running out at Murrayfield in the years to come.”

On Friday, to mark the day, Scottish Rugby will bring together legends of yesteryear, stars of today and the future of our sport in a day of celebration which will be kicked-off with the Parade of Legends.

Representatives from each decade since 1925 will make their way through the tunnel and onto the hallowed turf.

Legends will include Scotland’s oldest living internationalist, Lorn Cowie, 1984 Grand Slam winner John Rutherford and Scotland’s highest capped player, Donna Kennedy.

The finale will see some of the potential Scotland Men and Women players of the 2030s, who are participating in the Scottish Gas Rugby Festival, join those whose exploits are indelibly inscribed in Scotland’s rich rugby heritage.

From this moment, the festivities on the pitch will turn to the Scottish Gas Rugby Festival where more than 200 S1 (12-13 yr old) children from all regions of the country will get the opportunity to play mini matches on the international pitch, enjoy a behind the scenes tour of the stadium to learn about the history of the campus and its future, all while comparing themselves to the Scotland stars of today with fun gym based activities.

The Rugby Festival, supported by Scottish Gas, will be a celebration of young people, community rugby and a showcase of the future of the game.

Whilst the festival gets underway, there will also be a chance to honour those who have had an international refereeing career involving a Tier 1 Union, with the retrospective capping ceremony of Brian Anderson, Malcolm Changleng, Rob Dickson, Jim Fleming, Ken McCartney, Chuck Muir, Eddie Murray and Iain Ramage.

Later in the afternoon, rugby across Scotland will also be celebrated through the Community Recognition Awards. Some 36 awards in total across six categories in the six regions will be presented.

The awards embrace Volunteer of the Season in youth, schools and adult rugby; Young Persons award, Community Match Official and Community Club of the Season for each of the six regions.

All of these activities are taking places under the backdrop of preparations for Scotland Women ahead of their opening Women’s Six Nations match against Wales at Hive on Saturday 22 March.

Scottish Rugby President Keith Wallace said: “Murrayfield is so much more than a top-quality rugby pitch and bricks and mortar.

“The stadium is part of Scotland’s DNA and central to its sporting and cultural history. It has inspired memories innumerable.

“And we know that, from its very beginning, Murrayfield has largely been funded by supporters, for whom it will always have a special place in their hearts.”

Throughout the year fans can delve into the history of Murrayfield online and reminisce over historic matches, look back at the building of the stadium, book a Scottish Gas Murrayfield tour, and relive Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour at Scottish Gas Murrayfield last year.  All this is on our dedicated Murrayfield 100 webpage.

Fans can also get involved by sharing their own Murrayfield memories on the Murrayfield100 webpage, making this centenary a truly shared celebration!

Keith Wallace added: “Our centenary celebrations will not be limited to just what is happening on Friday.

“Scottish Rugby has plans for activities and initiatives throughout the rest of the year, linked to Silver Saturday, our four Scotland’s men’s Autumn Nations Series Test matches, Scotland Women, who feature in the Rugby World Cup south of the border later this summer, and of course some goodies that fans can purchase as a memento of this milestone occasion.”

Scotland legend and 1984 Grand Slam winner, John Rutherford, said: “My first trip to Murrayfield was as a schoolboy in 1968. Scotland were playing England, and I was in awe of the crowd, the atmosphere and, of course, the Stadium.

“I distinctly remember Gordon Connell, the Scotland scrum half dropping a goal right in front of my friends and I’m sure it must have crossed my mind that it would be fantastic to get the opportunity to play at Murrayfield. The captain that day was Jim Telfer and little did I know that he would become such a huge influence on my playing and coaching career.

“I am often asked my favourite game on Murrayfield and although they were all special, I would have to select the’84 Grand Slam decider against France. Our last Slam was in 1925, so it was a memorable occasion for the country.

“Now 100 years old Murrayfield Stadium has hosted some outstanding games and events over that time. For the Scottish rugby supporter, it is our spiritual home and hopefully will continue to be for another 100 years.”