Tuesday, February 25, 2014

New JK Rowling story tells of wizards' support for Scottish rugby

The Six Nations contenders revealed to have dedicated supporters among the wizarding community

Hagrid in disguise? Jim Hamilton (right) celebrates Saturday's Six Nations win with his teammates. Photograph: Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

Scotland may have received help from an unexpected corner in its dramatic win against Italy in the Six Nations on Saturday: JK Rowling has revealed in a new story why "it is considered infra dig for wizards to support any rugby team other than Scotland".


Ever since the 19th century, writes Rowling on her website Pottermore, the worldwide wizarding community has thrown its support behind the Scottish rugby team, even though they are forbidden to take part in "Muggle" sports themselves. In a rare appearance on Twitter, Rowling also urged her nearly three million followers to "help keep this noble tradition alive by tweeting #wizards4scotlandrugbyteam before #6nations Scotland v Italy", adding: "Wizards worldwide support the Scottish rugby team. It's an old magical tradition."


"The wizarding world's affection for the Scottish rugby team is all the more bizarre because a substantial part of wizarding society knows nothing about Muggle sports, which they regard as inherently dull and even silly," she writes in her new story on Pottermore. "Yet the Scottish rugby team has become a wizarding meme – part in-joke, part genuine interest – which has its roots in the 19th century and is a tale both sad and uplifting."
Cricket, on the other hand, is widely ridiculed by wizards.
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