A BRIEF HISTORY OF RUGBY

As the myth goes, in 1823 in Warwickshire, England, during a game of football, William Webb Ellis decided to pick up the ball and run for it, and thus Rugby was born!

And although there is actually no evidence of any of this ever happening, the Rugby World Cup trophy is still named after Ellis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1863, a group of schools and clubs decided on a rule set, and in 1871, the Rugby Football Union was formed, and the first match played later that year, with Scotland winning against England.

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In 1908, three major Southern Hemisphere nations - New Zealand, South Africa and Australia - sent their newly formed teams to the Summer Olympics created 8 years prior, to play against the Northern Hemisphere teams, comprised of France, Great Britain and Germany.

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And thus began the Southern Hemisphere's domination over the game.

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In 1987, the first Rugby World Cup was played in Australia and New Zealand. The All Blacks (NZ team) winning against France in the final.

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There has been 10 RWC so far, as of 2024, and all but one have been won by Southern Hemisphere nations. South Africa winning 4, making them as of 2023, the most successful Rugby nation and breaking their tie with New Zealand, who comes in second place with 3 world cups to their names, Australia with 2 and England winning their first World Cup in 2003, entering Rugby History as the only Northern Hemisphere nation to ever win a RWC.

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