The Calcutta Cup

 

The Calcutta Cup

                                    A quaich - the two handles are called lugs.

The Calcutta Cup is the oldest trophy awarded to the winner of England versus Scotland in the Rugby Six Nations Championship.

The other trophies in the Six Nations Championship are the Millennium Trophy, won by the winner of the match played between England and Ireland, the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy for the winner of the France-Italy match, the Doddie Weir cup for Scotland-Wales, the Auld Alliance Trophy, which goes to the victor of the France-Scotland competition, and the Cuttitt Cup for Italy-Scotland. The Centenary Quaich goes to the Ireland-Scotland winners.

A quaich is a Gaelic shallow drinking cup with two handles. It is often called the cup of friendship or loving cup and originated in the Highlands as a drinking cup for whisky or brandy. Originally, they were made from wood, but can now be designed in sterling silver or pewter as well as wood. Some even have glass bottoms so that the drinkers, can see each other, or, in a double glass base, hold a lock of hair from a loved one. The two handles ensure that both hands are used to hold the vessel, thus ensuring that no-one can hold a weapon at the same time, and symbolising trust between the giver and the receiver. They often feature at Scottish wedding ceremonies.

Twenty-eight minutes after the start of the match the score was Scotland 24 to England 10. ‘Flower of Scotland’ rang around the stadium. At this point, I wondered how much more of the match we would be seeing, as complaints and criticism poured forth from the once-upon-a-time rugby player I live with. ‘Schoolboy errors,’ ‘What are they up to?’ ‘I’ve seen better play from clubs,’ and ‘Lack of discipline,’ are some of the politer comments.

Some of the commentators amused me. ‘Get your heads in there, sacrifice your ears.’ 

Two yellows and a red card for the England team before the end of the first half and the match was turned off. Oh, dear!

We then turned to the Ireland-Italy match. This was adjudged ‘much better.’ Thank goodness for that, though I wish Italy had won. It’s their turn for glory, surely.