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The season started with victories against Boroughmuir,
Royal High,
Melville and Glasgow High. However, a tough Trinity Academicals
side defeated a depleted Stewart's but they were a non-championship
side so this did count in the unoffical League. However,
this loss spurred the team on and they were undefeated by
Christmas having scored 128 points and only conceeded 8.
Glasgow High exacted revenge for a defeat early in the season
by winning the game with a drop goal in the last minute.
However, Edinburgh Academicals/Wanderers(still playing as
a combined team) were defeated the following week.
This set up a crunch match with Melrose who were lying
second in the championship.
It was a tight game won by Stewart's with
a penalty goal in front of 3,000! There followed a wintry
spell where no rugby could played for nine weeks. However,
on the resumption of games, Gala were defeated narrowly
for the second time in the season. Watsonians were defeated
in an evening match on 6th April. This was only their third
loss of the season.
It had all come down to the last match against
Jedforest which had to be won to secure the Championship.
Again, it was an evening game and it meant that there was
difficulty in fielding the regular team. At the last minute,
R L Sharp had to be drafted into full back, a position he
had never played before but he played with great poise and
skill. Stewart's dominated the game and ran out winners
14 points to nil.
This was only the second time the Club had won the Championship.
The regular team was : Hyslop, Bennet,
Tait, Pringle, Baird, MacLennan, Foubister, Anderson, Gillam,
Govan, Wright, Craig, Govan, Kyles, Koren and Sharp.
The Club dinner
to celebrate the sucess was held at the Balmoral Resturant
on Princes Street in Edinburgh.
The success
of the team was based on team spirit both on
and off the field. However, it was the strong pack that
laid the foundations for a winning season.
The following season E Anderson captained the side and
again the team won most of their matches. They were denied
the Championship again by two key losses against Glasgow
University and to Kelso 8-6, the eventual winners.
Stewart's FP being piped on to the pitch
by the North Of Ireland 1949
The Club embarked on its first Christmas tour
to Belfast to play Instonians and North of Ireland. As no
sailings were available the team travelled by plane from
Renfrew, the first Scottish club to use the transport. The
total cost of the tour was £150 for a party of 25!
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