Hive Stadium
Rugby
Celtic Challenge
Edinburgh
Score:
35
/ 60
Overview
Glasgow-Edinburgh is the oldest derby in men’s rugby and it’s fantastic that Edinburgh have used the scheduling of the women’s match between the two sides on the same day as their home leg of the men’s 1872 Cup as an opportunity to attract a larger crowd to this match. It’s great to see almost all the available tickets have been sold, which, one hopes, indicates that this model could be repeated in future years with audiences growing as the rivalry builds in significance. It would be great to see the game played on the Murrayfield turf as part of a double-header in the future. The only drawback to this experience is that, sadly, the Hive just isn’t a very good stadium. It feels makeshift, given that none of the stands, toilets, or catering facilities are permanent structures. The obstructed views created by the pillars all around the ground serve both to prevent you from seeing parts of the game and to make you feel distanced from the action.
Score Summaries
Atmosphere & Experience: 7
I attended an Edinburgh-Glasgow derby being held just ahead of the men’s 1872 Cup match at Murrayfield the same afternoon. You could add a ticket for the women’s game for an extra £10. These factors may have pushed up attendance, but this is the kind of offer that encourages people who might otherwise not have bothered to take a chance on women’s club rugby. It was great to see a gender balanced crowd packing out the main stand at the Hive. A fairly even split of Edinburgh and Glasgow supporters meant there was a good level of noise and friendly rivalry throughout. Seeing three of the four stands unopened and empty is a shame, but the increasing quality of women’s club rugby in Scotland since professionalisation and the launch of the Celtic Challenge, as well as the timing of this match and the effort to draw a larger crowd, is a hopeful sign that those stands will be filled in the years to come or that the match might be moved to Murrayfield as part of a double-header.
Seats: 3
The design of the Hive is such that there are large metal pillars supporting the roofs in front of the seats in all four stands. This means that, unless you are sat right on the halfway line in the main stand where the gap between pillars is enlarged for the highest-paying customers, your view will be obstructed to some extent. You can rest assured that, at some point during the game, you’ll be unable to see a vital scrum, a key ruck, or some defining play. This is enormously frustrating. Coupled with this, the stands are rickety, semi-permanent structures in which seats are crammed uncomfortably together.
Catering: 3
Bar facilities and the selection of drinks are limited. All beers being sold at the Glasgow-Edinburgh game were canned. In a well-attended fixture, expect long lines for the two available food outlets. One sells kebabs and chips, which do not look especially appetising. The other does coffee, donuts, and pastries. The coffee is fine and the muffins are pretty good. I’d suggest you eat before you get there.
Facilities: 6
Semi-permanent bathroom huts have been set up along the back of the main stand. With only one stand open for the Celtic Challenge game, there are limited queues.
Getting There: 8
It’s a relatively straightforward journey by tram from central Edinburgh or Haymarket to the Hive, with roughly a 10-minute walk from tram stop to stadium at the end. It’s also walkable from Haymarket if the weather is favourable.
Getting Away: 8
Given relatively low attendance figures and the fairly regular tram service, public transport is a viable option back into town from the ground. You can also walk to Haymarket in 20-30 minutes.