THE HISTORY OF RUGBY
With the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France about to take centre-stage in the sporting calendar, punters will be eager to place their online rugby spread bet on who they think will be lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy in the Stade de France on the 20th October. With England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and of course, the hosts France all potential options for your Rugby spread bet, perhaps looking at the history of the game may help you make your decision?
Rugby first came to England back in the 11th century. It proved very popular with the masses in villages around the country. In the 15th and 16th centuries it was banned because it interfered with the practising of archery, which at that time, was paramount to the defence of the country. Rugby football again became popular in England in the 1820’s when the boys of Rugby school played their football on grass, using a pig’s bladder encased in leather as the ball – it became their recreation when they weren’t studying. Other schools took up the game, playing to their own rules, which were developed by the pupils themselves.
The rules at Rugby school initially stated that you could not handle the ball on the field of play unless the ball was airborne, in which case it could be caught. The catcher stood still, as did the other players, and then he could decide whether to kick the ball anywhere he wished, or place the ball on the ground and kick it over the crossbar between the posts, which if he succeeded, counted as a goal.
As the years moved on, the rules changed, whereby instead of boys standing still after they had caught the ball, they could now run towards their opponents goal line with the ball in their arms. These rules became the norm in some schools around about 1840. When boys left Rugby school, they took the game with them, and clubs sprung up all over the country and in the colonies. There was however still the problem that the game was being played under a variety of rules. In 1870, Edwin Ash who was secretary to Richmond club, attempted to put together a code of practise and a set of rules to which rugby clubs and schools would abide to. A meeting was called which was attended by members of 22 clubs and some schools in 1871, and the Rugby Football Union was formed (RFU). A set of laws were formed and completed the same year.
In the same year, Scotland challenged England to a match, and the first meeting between the two countries took place at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh in March 1871. Scotland won with 1 goal and 1 try to England’s 1 goal. Scotland formed their own union in 1873, Ireland followed in 1879 and Wales completed the set when forming up in 1880. Although the rules of rugby were now in place, it didn’t stop a dispute between England and Scotland in 1884. England believed they had scored a try against Scotland and the Scots maintained they hadn’t. In an exchange of letters the England Rugby Union said, as they had made the rules of rugby up, the try should stand. Scottish members were obviously not happy and wouldn’t play England in 1885.
The follow up was that an International board was formed by Scotland, Ireland and Wales. England refused to join, with the result the other three home unions refused to play England. It was only in 1890 that England changed their stance, and normal relations resumed. In 1893 it was rumoured that some players in the North of England were being paid for playing. This was obviously breaking the strict amateur code. Two meetings were held in which northern clubs wanted to carry a resolution that men should be paid when playing football instead of working. This motion was defeated.
In 1895 22 clubs from the north broke away from their RFU to form their own Northern Union. This had a serious impact on the England International side and it would take many years to make up for the loss. In 1905 the New Zealand Rugby team (All Blacks) toured England for the first time. Australia meanwhile, toured the north of England in 1908, and played the first ever true rugby league test match against Wales, losing narrowly 9-8. The Northern Union finally became the Rugby League in the 1920’s and plays under a different set of rules as of today. In 1995 Rugby Union finally became professional when the International Board announced that players could be paid for playing. This was exactly one hundred years after the Northern Union had fought for its members to be reimbursed for their time.
Today, the sport has changed almost beyond recognition from the days of amateurism. Fans now clamor to place their rugby spread bet on Tigers, Wasps and Falcons and with twenty nations from across the globe preparing for the forthcoming World Cup in France, interest in Rugby spread betting us sure to be high. Will the past point towards the new champions or will the form book be disregarded once the tournament kicks off in earnest?
Online Rugby Betting at Sporting Index
