SCOTTISH Rugby is to honour retrospectively more than 50 players who represented their country in matches that, at the time, did not carry Test cap status.

And that includes a number from the Scottish Borders,

The decision, made by the Scottish Rugby Union Custodian Board, was announced on Tuesday August 15  by President Colin Rigby.

He said: “Those individuals who wore the thistle with pride and distinction, whether in Services or Victory internationals during and after the Second World War, or who played under the label of a ‘Scotland XV’ against other nations, will now join the fabled ranks of the 1,140 other men to have been capped by Scotland since 1871.

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“Given this year marks the 150th anniversary of the formation of the Union, we wanted to look afresh at our history and recognise the rich and enduring contribution those players have made to our game.

“Awarding a cap retrospectively may seem purely symbolic or belated by some people, but I know from conversations with some of those players and their families what this decision will mean to them and that granting cap status will be cherished.”

The full list of Borders players to be awarded retrospective caps is: 1942 Services Rugby: Scotland 21 England 6, 21 March, Inverleith, Corporal J Maltman (Hawick)

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1943 Services Rugby: Scotland 6 England 29, 27 February, Inverleith – (players in image below) Corporal R Cowe (Melrose)

1945 Services Rugby: England 11 Scotland 18, 24 February, Leicester: Captain J A D Thom (Hawick)

1977 Japan 9 Scotland XV 74, 18 September, Tokyo : Rob Moffat (Melrose)

1986 Spain 17 Scotland XV 39, 1 May, Cornella, Barcelona: Garry Waite (Kelso)

1987 Scotland XV 15 France XV 12, 26 September, Netherdale: Ian Ramsey (Melrose)

1991 USA 12 Scotland XV 41, 18 May, Hartford, Connecticut: Mark Moncrieff (Gala)

1991 Canada 24 Scotland XV 19, 25 May, Saint John, New Brunswick: Ronnie Kirkpatrick (Jedforest)

1993 Fiji 10 Scotland XV 21, 29 May, Commonwealth Stadium, Suva: Steve Ferguson (Peebles) and Gary Isaac (Gala)

1993 Tonga 5 Scotland XV 23, 5 June, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku’alofa : Craig Redpath (Melrose)

Existing chronological Scotland cap numbers will not be affected by this initiative. Nor will the past caps and points records of other players who won full caps be adjusted for those games.

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All 56 retrospective capped players will be added in a panel after Scotland’s most recent new cap – Cameron Henderson of Leicester Tigers, who was cap number 1140. Their numbers will run forward from 1141 to 1196.

The President added: “Our plan is to reach out to the relatives of those sadly no longer with us and conduct a cap presentation for those from the Services and Victory international matches in tandem with our annual poignant service of remembrance at the war memorial at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Armistice Day in November.

“Therefore, we welcome contact from any relatives of those players from the 1940s, so we can begin to plan for that ceremony.

“Thereafter, we will look to award caps during our home matches in next year’s GUINNESS Six Nations Championship.”

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Following the research to award retrospective caps in the men’s game, Scottish Rugby will also ensure that all players to have represented Scotland Women will receive a cap, as the physical cap presentation was not always a part of the women’s game in the past.

Scottish Rugby will also embark on a project to ensure that all our international referees, in both the men’s and women’s game, will be recognised with a physical cap.