What Is Calcutta Cup? England Vs Scotland Rugby – All You Need To Know About Indian-Origin Showpiece

The Calcutta Cup, the oldest trophy contested between any two international rugby union teams, will be on the line as England and Scotland face off at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday, February 22, in the third round of the 2025 Six Nations Championship. (More Sports News)

England head into a challenging fixture wꦑith confidence after a dramatic victory over France in round two. After nearly a year🗹 of falling short against top-tier opposition, they finally broke through, easing the pressure on head coach Steve Borthwick.

The task now is to build on that momentum, knowing that snapping their four-Test losing streak against 💟Scotland would put them firmly back in th❀e Six Nations title race with two rounds to go.

From 2009 to 2017, England dominated the 'Auld Enemy' with eigh🐼t straight victories, leading many to believe rugby’s oldest int🎉ernational rivalry was losing its spark.

But Scotland have flipped the script, suffering just one defeat in their last seven meetings—including a💟 historic first win at Twickenham in 38 years. Now, it’s England who carry the weight of past failures, with their last home victory over Sc🌃otland dating back to 2017.

But What Is Calcutta Cup? Here's The History Of Its Indian Origin

Starting with the name resembling the Indian city now called Kolkata, the Calcutta Cup traces its origins to the Calcutta Rugby Football Club in India.

Its history dates back to Christmas Day in 1872, when a twenty-a-side rugby match waꦺs played in Calcutta, British India. One team represented England, the other Scotland, setting the stage for what would become rugby’s oldest internatജional rivalry.

After the success of the 1872 match and the growing popularity of British sports in India, a group of expatriates, former Ru🌠gby School studenꦅts, and soldiers from the Royal East Kent Regiment came together to form the Calcutta Rugby Football Club in January 1873.

The club officially joined the ๊Rugby Football Union (RFU) in 1874, but as British interest in rugby faded in India, membership dwindled. By 1878, the club shut down, and rather than letting their remaining funds, ₹270, go to waste, the members had the money melted down to craft a trophy.

They gifted it to the RFU, hoping it would serve as a lasting tribu❀te 🌟to the sport. That trophy would go on to become one of rugby’s most cherished rivalry—the Calcutta Cup.

As of 2024, the Calcutta Cup has been played 131 times. It remains a key fixture in the Siꦫx Nations Cha🍃mpionship, with England and Scotland battling it out each year. The venue alternates—Murrayfield in Edinburgh hosts in even years, while Twickenham in London takes its turn in odd years.

Arguably the most famous 'home nations' trophy, it represents historically the greatest rivalry in the Six Nations ensemble. The Calcutta Cup, with an ornate trophy featuring a sitti🎶ng elephant and hissing king cobras, is indeed much more than a game.

First contested in 1879, this annual game is the oldest international rugby fixture and is only five years younger than the first recorded rugby tournament, the United Hospitals Challenge Cup. As 𒁃mentioned earlier, it all started in Kolkata (Calcutta) in 1878, when 270 silver coins were melted to initiate "the best means of doing some lasting good for th𝐆e cause of Rugby Football".

For nearly 150 years, England and Scotland have continued to fight for this 45cm-high trophy crafted by Indian silversmiths. And today, England and Scotland will re🗹prise their 'Home Nations' rugby union rivalry for the 132nd time, in Twickenham.

England Vs Scotland, Calcutta Cup: Head-To-Head

England hold the record as the most successful team in Calcutta Cup history, having won or reta෴ined the trophy 82 times between 1880 and 2023. Scotland, meanwhile, have claimed or held onto the🦂 cup on 47 occasions.

England Vs Scotland, Calcutta Cup: Rugby Live Streaming

When to watch England vs Scotland, Calcutta Cup match at the 2025 Six Nations Championship?

The England vs Scotland Calcutta Cup match at the 2025 Six Na⛄tions Championship on Saturday, 22 February at 10:15PM IST, 16:45 GMT.

Where to watch England vs Scotland, Calcutta Cup match at the 2025 Six Nations Championship?

The streaming of England vs Scotland, Calcutta Cup is available for live TV broadcast in the UK on ITV 1, STV, S4C. Streaming options are𝄹 available on ITV's streaming platform, ITVX.