The history of Rugby

Written By Ong Teh

The invention
1823 - During a game of football at Rugby School in England, legend has it that 16 year old student
William Webb Ellis, caught the ball and ran with it towards the opponent's goal line, rather than
following the rules of the times of catching and kicking the ball only. Thus the game of Rugby was
born.
1841 - Running with the ball was officially allowed in Rugby School's rules, providing the ball was
taken on the bound; passing was specifically forbidden.

William Webb Ellis

First to play
1871 - The first international match, between England and Scotland was played. Twenty players a
side, 13 forwards, 3 half backs, 1 three quarter and three fullbacks.
1875 - Tries received major recognition in the game. If both teams scored the same number of
goals or if no goals were kicked, they match was decided on the majority of tries
1877 - Player numbers in international matches reduced from 20 to 15.
1882 - The first inter Colonial match is played between New South Wales and Queensland. New
South Wales won 28-4.
1883 - The Northern Rugby Union (NRU) was formed to administer the game in Queensland.
The Southern Rugby Union (NSW) tours New Zealand becoming the first team in the world to tour
overseas.

First to play
1884 - The first New Zealand representative team visits Australia and wins all nine matches on
tour.
1886 - A numerical value was adopted by The Rugby Football Union in England for tries and goals.
Tries earned one point, conversions two and a goal from a mark, three points.
1888 - Club rugby is formally organized in Victoria and the Melbourne Rugby Union formed (MRU)
against strong opposition from Australian Rules.
1888-The first British Rugby Team to tour abroad makes an unofficial tour to Australia and New
Zealand. In a tragic boating accident, the British Captain R L Seddon drowned. He was replaced
as Captain by A E Stoddart who had just completed a tour of Australia with the English Cricket
team. To help cover their expenses, the team also played a number of Australian Rules Games in
Victoria and South Australia.

Development
1892 - The Southern Rugby Union and the Northern Rugby Union change their names to New
South Wales Rugby Union and Queensland Rugby Union respectively.
1899 - Australia plays their first Test match - against the touring side from Great Britain. In a four
Test series played in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia won the first Test 13-3 at the Sydney Cricket
Ground on 24th June.
1903 - The first Test Match between Australia and NZ is played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on
15th August, won by NZ, 22-3. This tour greatly increased the popularity of rugby and large crowds
started attending grade matches in Sydney and Brisbane.
1907 - A then record crowd of 52,411 attended the 13th July match between New South Wales and
New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

development
1908/9 - The first Wallabies tour the United Kingdom and America, winning 32 of the 38 matches
played. While in England, they competed in the 1908 London Olympics of 1908, winning the gold
medal for Rugby Union.
1912 - Australia tours America. This was the first and only tour specifically to America
1914 - 1918 - Due to the numbers of players enlisting in WWI, Australian senior rugby went into
recess. Sadly, many prominent players and Wallabies were lost. These losses and the continued
impact of Rugby League, greatly affected the strength of the code. Restarting the game in 1919 in
New South Wales proved difficult, but even more so in Victoria and Queensland, which were
unable to regroup until 1926 and 1929 respectively.
1921 - South Africa visits Australia and New Zealand for the first time winning all three Tests in
Australia.

games
1927/28 - The NSW Waratahs tour the United Kingdom, France and North America, winning 24 and
drawing two of their 31 official matches. They won three of their five internationals and averaged
close to four tries per match. This team is credited with introducing running rugby into the Australian
game. As the Waratahs were the only Australian representatives in the 1920s, all internationals
played by them have been accorded retrospective Wallaby status.
1928/9 - The Queensland Rugby Union resumes operations and its re-emergence immediately
makes a forceful impact on the performances of the Australian team, which defeated New Zealand
in all 3 Tests for the first time.
1929 - Australian Rugby Union adopts green and gold as its official colours. The Australian jersey
is green with the Australian Coat of Arms.
1930 - The British Lions tour Australia.
1931 - The Bledisloe Cup was presented by the then Governor General of New Zealand, Lord
Bledisloe, for competition between New Zealand and Australia. The inaugural competition was won
by New Zealand two games to one.

games
1933 - The Wallabies make their first tour to South Africa for a four test series, won by South Africa
three to one.
1934 - Australia win the Bledisloe Cup for the first time.
1939 - The tour of the 1939 Wallabies is cancelled when war is declared the day after the team
arrive in England. After two weeks in England, the team returns home.
1939 -1945 -Rugby administrators elect to continue the local club competition throughout the period
of hostilities of WWII.
1946 - After eight years, the first Test to mark the end of WWII is played between Australia and
New Zealand.
1947/48 - The Wallabies tour the United Kingdom and North America. In the four tests against the
Home Unions the Australian line was never crossed.

Where it is today

2001 - Australia wins its first series ever against the British and Irish Lions.
- Coach Rod Macqueen and Captain John Eales retire. The positions are handed to Eddie Jones and George Gregan.
2003 - Australia hosts the 2003 Rugby World Cup. England win the Cup, playing Australia in the Final at Telstra Stadium, Sydney.
2004 - George Gregan plays his 100th Test for Australia.
2005 - John Connelly takes over as Wallabies Coach.
2006 - The Super 12 competition expands into Super 14 with the addition of the Western Force (Perth) and the Cheetahs from South
Africa.
- Stirling Mortlock becomes the 73rd player to Captain the Wallabies in the Test against England in Melbourne.
- Australia wins the Under 19 World Cup for the first time defeating New Zealand in the Final in Dubai.
2007 - Stephen Larkham plays his 100th Test for Australia.
- The sixth iRB Rugby World Cup is hosted in France. South Africa win for the second time defeating England in the Final.
- George Gregan (134 Tests and the world's most capped player) and Stephen Larkham (102 Tests) both retire from the Wallabies.
- Robbie Deans creates history by becoming the first non-Australian to be appointed Coach of the Wallabies.

Work cited
Rugby.com.au,. "Try Rugby:: Official Site For The Community
Game > Playing > Rugby Explained > History". N.p., 2016.
Web. 9 Jan. 2016.

images from creative commons