The Scottish Varsity Match between Scotland’s two oldest university rugby clubs dates back more than 160 years, and is believed to predate the annual Oxford versus Cambridge Varsity Match. Formed in 1857 and 1858, respectively, Edinburgh University RFC and the University of St Andrews RFC are two of the oldest rugby clubs in the world, with only the Edinburgh Academical FC claiming a longer existence in Scotland.

In 2015, the Scottish Varsity Match came home to Scotland after four successful fixtures in London at the Richmond Athletic Ground. The annual event was hosted at BT Murrayfield before the COVID-19 pandemic, and saw the teams competing in front of 10,000 spectators on the international pitch, at what was the largest student sport event in Scotland.