Caledonian Thebans RFC
Encyclopedia
Caledonian Thebans Rugby Football Club, formerly Edinburgh Thebans Rugby Football Club, is an Edinburgh
-based rugby union
club. They are Scotland
's first gay-friendly rugby club, and currently the only one in the country.
They take part in the Union Cup
, a biennial European, non-professional, gay rugby union
tournament, as well as the Bingham Cup, an international gay "world cup". Members and players come from all over Scotland, including Aberdeen
and Berwick-upon-Tweed
.
, Edinburgh and District Rugby Union, and are part of the International Gay Rugby Association and Board
.
, an elite and highly successful military unit in the Theban
army of ancient Greece, which was made up of male couples. The Sacred Band of Thebes was completely annihilated, however, by Alexander the Great under Philip II of Macedon
in the Battle of Chaeronea
in 338 BC.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
-based rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club. They are Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
's first gay-friendly rugby club, and currently the only one in the country.
They take part in the Union Cup
Union Cup
The Union Cup is a biennial European, non-professional, gay rugby union tournament, bringing together teams and joint teams from all over Europe.-Montpellier 2005:The first edition was held in May 2005 in Montpellier, France...
, a biennial European, non-professional, gay rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
tournament, as well as the Bingham Cup, an international gay "world cup". Members and players come from all over Scotland, including Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
and Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
.
History
The Caledonian Thebans is the first gay and bisexual friendly rugby club for men in Scotland. The club came to life on the 18th May 2002 when Colm Cunningham, a gay man from Northern Ireland, put up a poster in the Laughing Duck, a now defunct Edinburgh gay bar. Since its beginnings the club has aimed to provide the means and facilities for gay and bi men, who are serious about playing rugby or learning the game, to do so in a safe and supportive environment. The team is primarily aimed at gay and bisexual men but is open to men of any sexuality.Affiliation
The Thebans are affiliated to the Scottish Rugby UnionScottish Rugby Union
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...
, Edinburgh and District Rugby Union, and are part of the International Gay Rugby Association and Board
International Gay Rugby Association and Board
International Gay Rugby Association and Board is the umbrella organization for the world's gay rugby clubs. It is dedicated to encouraging lesbians and gay men everywhere to play rugby...
.
Name
The name is a reference to the Sacred Band of ThebesSacred Band of Thebes
The Sacred Band of Thebes was a troop of picked soldiers, consisting of 150 male couples which formed the elite force of the Theban army in the 4th century BC. It was organised by the Theban commander Gorgidas in 378 BC and played a crucial role in the Battle of Leuctra...
, an elite and highly successful military unit in the Theban
Ancient Thebes (Boeotia)
See Thebes, Greece for the modern city built on the ancient ruins.Ancient Thebes was a Boeotian city-state , situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain...
army of ancient Greece, which was made up of male couples. The Sacred Band of Thebes was completely annihilated, however, by Alexander the Great under Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon "friend" + ἵππος "horse" — transliterated ; 382 – 336 BC), was a king of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.-Biography:...
in the Battle of Chaeronea
Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC)
The Battle of Chaeronea was fought in 338 BC, near the city of Chaeronea in Boeotia, between the forces of Philip II of Macedon and an alliance of Greek city-states...
in 338 BC.