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Historical Rugby Milestones 1950s

Carl Mullen signs rugby ball for small boy

1950 - The Bedford Town Colts team of l949/50 went through the whole season unbeaten but the officials of the Club were concerned that young men of under 18 years of age were not physically mature enough for first team football and that they should be encouraged to gain more experience before being picked for the Town side. The boys themselves did not want to split up and join other local clubs and so at a special meeting held on the 31st March 1950 and with the help of the Bedford Club, it was decided to form a new Rugby Club in the Town, mainly for young players of between 18 and 22 years of age. The names of both Rovers and Swifts were put forward for the new club and it appears that the meeting favored Rovers but an elderly gentleman who had been sitting quietly at the back of the room got to his feet and in a rather nervous voice introduced himself as the very last surviving member of the original Swifts that had ceased to operate in 1886. Those present listened intently when he made a special personal request that the new club take the name Swifts in order to ensure that the name was not lost forever. With a unanimous vote it was agreed the new club should be called Bedford Swifts Rugby Union Football Club.

In 1950 Renown pictures filmed Tom Brown's school days at Rugby school, see below:

rugby school 1950
 
rugby school 1950

1958 - Wales played England at Twickenham but due to a supplier error, had to play in jerseys which did not contain the Welsh emblem, the price of Wales feathers.

1959 - William Webb Ellis's grave is located in October 1959 at Menton, on the French riviera, France and is now cared for by local enthusiasts. His final resting place (Caveau numéro 957 dans le cimetiére du Vieux Château à Menton in the Alpes-Maritimes) was tracked down by Ross McWhirter of "Guiness book of records" fame and a local journalist and former rugby player Roger Dries. Once it had been renovated and decked with the Union Jack and the Tri-color it was visited by the President, the captain of the French team and a brass band.

New Zealand vs British Isles test series:

First Test 18 July, 1959 Carisbrook, Dunedin New Zealand 18 British Isles 17
Second Test 15 August, 1959 Athletic Park, Wellington New Zealand 11 British Isles 8
Third Test 29 August, 1959 Lancaster Park, Christchurch New Zealand 22 British Isles 8
Forth Test 19 September, 1959 Eden Park, Auckland New Zealand 6 British Isles 9

Risman
Bev. Risman plunges over to score the winning try against New Zealand for the British Isles, in the final test. Don Clarke is seen flying in from the left. New Zealand win the series 3 -1.

Tony Mason & Tony Wright found the famous traveling club, The Penguins in the hope of fostering the growth of the game and the friendship with other countries by playing open rugby. The Penguins have played all over the world including: America, Argentina, Bermuda, France, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Rhodesia (as was), Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Zambia to name but a few.

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