RugbyFootballHistory.com

1980 - Bill Beaumont leads England's first Grand Slam for 23 years.

1982 - Erica Rowe famously bares her 40" chest during England vs. Australia at Twickenham in January 1982.

	Erica Rowe

1983 - Women Rugby Football Union (WRFU) formed. The WRFU was responsible for rugby in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. When the WRFU was formed there were 12 founder teams as members in the first year. These teams included: Leicester Polytechnic, Sheffield University, UCL, University of Keele, Warwick University, Imperial College, Leeds University, Magor Maidens, York University and Loughborough University.

In 1994 each country established its own governing body.

1984 -1984 GRAND SLAM STATISTICS

The 1984 Wallabies became the first Australian team to win the Grand Slam in the 76 years since the first tour to the UK and Ireland.

• The Wallabies scored 100 points in the four Tests, which was the highest number of points scored by any team touring the UK and Ireland.
• The 12 tries scored in the four Tests was the most scored by any touring team in Tests.
• The third Test win against Wales was the first time Australia had won three Tests in succession on a tour of the UK and Ireland.
• The 28-9 win over Wales was the most points scored against Wales by a touring team at Cardiff Arms Park.
• The 28-9 win over Wales was Australia's biggest winning margin against them.
• The match against Wales included a first ever pushover try on their home ground of Cardiff Arms Park.
• The 37-12 win over Scotland was the highest Australian score over an IRB country.
• Mark Ella scored a try in each of the four Tests, a feat never before achieved by a player in a touring team. Michael Lynagh scored 42 points in the four Test series, which was more points than any other Australian in a Test series.
• Michael Lynagh scored 21 points against Scotland to equal Paul McLean's record of 21 points in a Test.

1985 - the Australian Rugby Union, with the support of New Zealand, France and South Africa, had pressed for a World Cup. The ARU felt threatened by the proposed professional rugby union circuit of Australian entrepreneur David Lord.

The British and Irish unions were opposed to the idea of a World Cup, so South Africa held the deciding vote. South Africa, aware it would be unable to play because of the international sports boycott, voted in favor of the World Cup at a meeting of the International Rugby Board in 1985.

1986 - Centenary meeting of the IRB. Representatives from 76 countries in attendance.

Liverpool were formed in 1857 but merged with St. Helens Rugby Club (founded 1919) in 1986 to form Liverpool St .Helens.

1987 - The first Rugby World Cup - Australia and New Zealand.

But it showed in stark focus the widening gulf between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres which would soon herald the end of the amateur game. The winner was awarded the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time.

The USA National Women’s Team was founded in 1987.

Courage League began for the 1987/88 season.  12 clubs played each other in just one League fixture per year, with no set date for fixtures: Bath, Bristol, Coventry, Gloucester, Harlequins, Leicester, Moseley, Nottingham, Orrell, Sale, Wasps, Waterloo
Relegation and Promotion: Two clubs up, two down.
Relegated: Coventry and Sale
Promoted: Rosslyn Park and Liverpool St Helens
Champions: Leicester

1988 - Women invited to an RFU reception for the first time (November 5th Dinner for Australia RU Team)

Click to browse dinner invite (5Mb pdf) (Provided by John Devonport)

At the England v. Ireland match at Twickenham in 1988 when Chris Oti, England's black winger making his Twickenham debut, scored three tries. Some of the crowd started singing 'Swing Low' to celebrate. From then on the Twickenham crowd sang the song whenever a try was scored.

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