New trophy to carry forward Ken Macaulay’s legacy

Ken was 67 and had just completed an astonishing three-week, 1,000 miles plus charity cycle around Scotland, taking in the 76 clubs that had featured in his rugby career, when he passed away.

“After being awarded his retrospective cap, the whole point of Ken’s cycle was to give something back, both to charities that meant something to him, and to the rugby community” said Ken’s widow, Pat.

The Ken Macaulay Cup will be contested annually by two clubs that had played a pivotal role in Ken’s rich and varied rugby career: East Lothian and the Co-optimists.

Pat added: “Now, after a year without Ken, our family want to ensure his memory lives on by providing this trophy and sincerely thank the Co-optimists in bestowing this honour. We also thank everyone who supported Ken during his cycle, the Cap 1215 Challenge.”

Founded in September 1924, the Co-optimists’ objective was to promote rugby in specific locations where it was not the premier sport.

This resulted in Scotland’s leading invitation-only rugby club. The idea, primarily,  was to use players from local clubs around Scotland, with the occasional international player included within the squad.

A stellar cast has represented the Co-optimists over the years: Arthur Smith, Sandy Carmichael, Ian McLauchlan, Douglas Morgan, Andy Irvine, Ian McGeechan, David Sole, Finlay Calder, John Jeffrey, Sean Lineen, Gavin and Scott Hastings, and Rob Wainwright, to name but a few. 1984’s Grand Slam winning squad have each represented the club at one time or another.

East Lothian is drawn from the six senior clubs in the county: Dunbar, Haddington, Musselburgh, North Berwick, Preston Lodge and Ross High.

The Ken Macaulay Cup will be crafted and presented for the first time when the invitational club renew their long-standing rivalry with East Lothian in the spring of 2026, some 102 years on from their first such meeting.

Co-optimists President, former Scotland and Watsonians centre, Euan Kennedy, said: “It is so fitting that our fixture versus East Lothian – that has been played for each year for just over the past century – will be honoured by the winner receiving the Ken Macaulay Cup, from 2026 onwards.”

“Ken was a giant of the game and embodied everything good that the Co-optimists represent.”

Pictured: Ken with family at Scottish Gas Murrayfield 

Ken played for the Co-optimists throughout the 1980s, including on a tour of Zimbabwe and in the Carwyn James memorial match in Llanelli – to celebrate the life of the coach of the 1971 triumphant British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.

When Ken, who had earlier played for Gala and Heriot’s, moved to East Lothian in 1994, he became a talismanic figure on and off the field at North Berwick rugby club, and played for East Lothian against the Co-optimists on a number of occasions.  He also became the Co-ops’ honorary secretary after he had hung up his boots.

Outside of the club game, Ken represented the Anglo Scots; the South at both age-grade and full level; and was a reserve for both the International Trail and Scotland B.

In 1980, he was selected for a three match Scotland tour of France, and on 26 April, he partnered his fellow Gala lock, Tom Smith, who hailed from Tranent, in the boiler-house  against a French Select in Bordeaux.

The French team included such luminaries as Serge Blanco and Philippe Dintrans and though Scotland lost the match, it was that game which saw Ken awarded his retrospective cap and duly presented with cap number 1215.

It was this that led to Ken’s charity cycle, the Cap 1215 Challenge, and raised monies for the Murrayfield Injured Players’ Foundation; Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland; Prostate Scotland; and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

When the trophy is complete, Scottish Rugby will be honoured to host it and put it on display at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in Ken’s memory.

Pictured: Ken with supporting cast at Melrose’s Greenyards, 2024.