[1] Merchistonian was a founding member of the Scottish Rugby Union and one of the five Scottish clubs to issue the challenge to English football players that resulted in the first rugby international.

The club supplied three players for the match Andrew Galbraith Colville, George Ritchie and the scorer of the match's only goal (conversion) William Cross.

The side played its first match against traditional rival Edinburgh Academical with both sides fielding a strictly former pupil team (rather than Accies open first XV) at Raeburn Place on 29 March, losing 31–20.

Merchistonian RFC also competed in a number of sevens competitions and the Edinburgh 10s in 2014.

[6][7][8][9] In 2017, the Scottish Rugby Union board granted the Merchistonian RFC its historic status of being a Football Club (FC) instead of a Rugby Football Club (RFC).