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Recording the History of Rugby Football

Carl Mullen signing a ball for a young boy

Welcome

The aim of this web site is to record the history of Rugby Union Football and make it available online for educational purposes, The web site has been featured by the BBC, Rugby World, The Guardian, US Public Radio's Rugby Hour and a variety of other newspapers and publications. The web site is growing all the time so check back regularly and see what's been added. By all means, send in your thoughts, questions and suggestions for how we can continue to improve the web site.

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Get Rugby back in the Olympics!

In 1886 Pierre de Coubertin made a visit to Rugby School – the place where William Webb-Ellis was first inspired to pick up a ball and run. De Coubertin gained part of his inspiration from the school’s educational ethos – a philosophy reflected in the sport to which it gave its name. A sport with a unique spirit. That spirit still lives on in the sport of Rugby and in the International Olympic Committee: the body de Coubertin helped to establish in 1894. Six years later, de Coubertin personally oversaw Rugby’s introduction to the Paris Games of 1900. Under de Coubertin’s guidance the sport featured again in 1908, 1920 and 1924.

There's not much time left, sign now, click on the image below please.

Congratulations to Manchester RFC on 150 years!

The 2009/10 season represents the 150th anniversary for Manchester Rugby Club (UK). There are a variety of sponsorship opportunities available, and they would be delighted to forward the portfolio to any interested parties that might seek to consider such as part of their marketing/PR tactics. Good value - and much commitment to give ROI. Simply email: sponsorship@acrobatonline.com

Manchester RFC

Book Review

Title:
Kings of Rugby - The 1959 Lions' Tour & Series and the Lives Beyond.
Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 0-9582387-6-6
Publisher: Hill-Verdon Publishing Ltd.
Author: Paul Verdon

Paul Verdon's intent was to create a commemorative tribute to the 1959 Lions' tour & series, fifty years on. It is obvious that immense care and thought has been exercised with the content and production of this book. When you consider the meticulous research, the extensive interviewing of the surviving players, the inclusion of their signatures, their profiles, the multitude of photographs, the detailed game by game match reports and the fine presentation of the material this is surely a labour of love with a value well beyond its price tag.


The author's style is relaxed and engaging throughout, making this book appealing to both the serious Rugby Historian and the casual reader interested in the feats of International rugby players past. Excellent book to read ahead of this years Lions tour. Read the full review

Preserving the past - Use it or Lose it !

Many rugby club houses around the world are decorated with old team photos from bygone days.

If the negatives have long since been lost, why not take them down, scan them into your PC (with as higher definition setting as possible). Not only will you be able to make your web site more interesting by adding to your clubs history online, but you can then re-print new copies of the photos for the clubhouse should the originals get damaged or faded and you will be helping preserve the history of the great sport of Rugby.

For advice on how to preserve documents and garments from the past, pop along to your local museum and they would be very glad to give you advice.

Wanted!

Pre-1950 - "RFU Bye laws, Laws of the game" & "RFU Handbooks". Best prices paid.

Other interesting old Rugby books also considered.

Contact us for a quote

Educational Enquiries

I get hundreds of emails each year from students all over the world, whilst I make every attempt to answer all of them, please be patient. Also check the web site carefully as sometimes the answer you are looking for is already detailed on the site.

Check FAQ section as well

Old School Football Song (modified)

"Forty years on, when afar and asunder
Parted are those who are reading today,
When you look back, and forgetfully wonder
What you were like in your work and your play,
Visions of boyhood shall float them before you,
Echoes of dreamland shall bear them along,
How we rejoiced as we struggled and panted,
Hardly believable, forty years on!

Forty years on, growing older and older,
Shorter in wind, as in memory long,
Feeble of foot, and rheumatic of shoulder,
What will it help you that once you were strong?
Never the battle raged hottest, but in it,
Neither the last nor the faintest, were we!
Fights for the fearless, and goals for the eager,
Twenty, and thirty, and forty years on! "
.

Listen to the Harrow School rendition

Carl Mullen signs rugby ball for small boyCredits |Contact Us | ©2008 www.rugbyfootballhistory.com