The Association included athletics, cricket, hockey, football (soccer) and rugby for youths residing in the area.

Former pre-war Association rugby union players Alex Watson and Jock Waugh persuaded John McLean and David Fell to recruit sufficient local players to form a 1st and 2nd XV to play in the Edinburgh District League for junior clubs.

Full membership status to the Scottish Rugby Union was granted in 1973 with entry to the Division XI of the newly formed leagues.

At its peak 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th XVs, along with a Codgers (over 35's) and a very large youth section, played rugby on the hallowed turf at Union Park.

It also held the honour of holding the record for the longest-running fixture between Scottish and Irish clubs having played against Suttonians RFC from 1955 through to the late 1990s.

With some of the then 1st team refusing to help support both grounds by playing a few games at Union Park it unearthed some fundamental differences in opinion on how a club should be run and funded.

The Royal High faction secretly moved to reform their own club in 2017, which forced RHC from the facilities at the school.

This came at a cost as RHC were not in a position to compete in the National Leagues, opting instead to drop back to the East Region.