FRONT ROW
1. Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh: 1999-2013)
2. Gordon Bulloch (Glasgow: 1996-2005)
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow: 2014-)
Moving onto the forwards now, and first up is the most capped Edinburgh player of all time. Allan Jacobsen’s immense shift for the club saw him accrue a total of 286 caps across 14 seasons. This monstrous effort puts him down amongst the side’s greatest contributors, and he even crossed over for seven tries during his on-field Edinburgh career. Jacobsen was flung into success, as he won the aforementioned back-to-back Scottish league titles in his first two campaigns with the club.
Former Glasgow Warriors club captain Gordon Bulloch comes in at hooker. Bulloch was a revered front rower across Scotland, and his reputation proceeded him throughout the British Isles and beyond. As no-nonsense and hard-hitting as they come, Bulloch possessed the old-school skillset that fans of yester-year remember so fondly. Bulloch’s opponents remember their battles with him less fondly, throughout the hooker’s nine year run in Glasgow.
Wrapping up the front row is Glasgow tight-head Zander Fagerson, who is arguably in contention amongst the nation’s finest ever number threes. If Fagerson continues at this rate, he could be on track to break Ross Ford’s Scotland appearence record in years to come. At just 27-years-old, Fagerson has already made 62 appearances for his country, and looks to have improved in each and every run out. A Glasgow Warriors lifer, his roots embedded deep in the city. Fagerson’s off-field career sees him take up an Assistant Coach role with amateur club Glasgow High Kelvinside.
SECOND ROW
4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh: 2011-)
5. Al Kellock (Edinburgh: 2002-2006 / Glasgow: 2006-2015)
Grant Gilchrist has been amongst Edinburgh’s leadership group since 2015, when he was appointed to the role of vice captain. The lock is a product of the Edinburgh Rugby Academy, and has shown the spoils of the John Macphail Scholarship, which involves a season’s stint in New Zealand. Gilchrist has led his side since being named co-captain with Stuart McInally in 2016, before taking full control of the reins in the Scottish capital. Gilchrist is an icon of Edinburgh, and is one of the longest serving current stalwarts, with 194 caps and counting.
Al Kellock is one of a few notable talents, to star consistently for both Edinburgh and Glasgow. After making his breakthrough with Edinburgh in 2002, he soon rose through the ranks whilst packing down the scrum. Kellock would take Edinburgh to Celtic Cup winners medals in 2004, and would not taste silverware until swapping allegiances in his move to Glasgow. Kellock captained the Warriors to the 2014/15 Pro12 title, before hanging up his boots in his final season.