Often international rugby has found itself playing second fiddle for bars in Scotland with football being the main showing on screens across the country. However, Brewhemia in the heart of Edinburgh is looking to change that.

The newly opened bar, located on Market Street opposite Waverley Station, has provided Edinburgh with a unique and groundbreaking venue. It’s Scotland’s only Beer Palace, which boasts the UK’s largest selection of tank beers, and it offers regular live music and entertainment unlike anywhere else.

With five different areas (all with different themes) covering 29,000 square feet, there is a reason it was said to be ‘the biggest bar opening Edinburgh has seen in years – maybe ever.’

In short, this was never going to be more of the same old and the same applies to the sport they offer. “Since the idea of Brewhemia was born, Scotland Rugby was to be the main sport we’d show”, the words of General Manager, Daniel Wylie. “Given the significance of the game to Edinburgh, we wanted it to be our number one priority.”

This passion for the sport was reaffirmed with the launch of the venue, at the end of July this year. Their guest for the evening was Scotland and Lions star, Finn Russell. “Having Finn along for the launch was brilliant and the reaction of guests on the night really did solidify our desire to make rugby our number one focus. This also got us thinking, how can we bring a new take on how supporters can enjoy the game?”

Not only will Brewhemia be showing all three of the Autumn Internationals on their big screen projector, they will also be hosting a special pre-match brunch before each match. “We wanted to go above and beyond the standard,” said Daniel. “As rugby fans ourselves, we thought about what we would love before travelling to a match or watching it live. We then came up with the idea of the pre-match brunch.”

This isn’t just any ordinary brunch either. With a gorgeous meal and two pints of a specially selected beer included with the ticket price, fans will be on the right foot before heading to the match. Plus, most importantly, the brunch will feature a special Q&A session with a former Scotland International.

“We are really proud of the offering we’ve put together. We’ve worked with Gordon Hood (founder of The Rugby Partnership) and we’ve got three fantastic guests. This will give attendees the opportunity to ask questions and get a fascinating insight into the national team, past and present, before watching them in action.”

Attending the brunches will be Hugo Southwell (v Samoa), Simon Taylor (v New Zealand), and Ally Hogg (v Australia), who combined have over 170 Scotland caps.

The brunches are also just the starting point for the future, with six nations plans already in the pipeline for 2018 and the years to come. “We can’t wait for the Autumn Internationals. It has got all of our staff excited and created a real buzz. We know that will come across during the matches and as prepare our plans for February next year.”

Tickets for the pre-match brunches are extremely limited at just £19pp and can be purchased via the Brewhemia website.