History of Rugby

Rugby is a full-contact team sport that originated in England during the early 19th century at Rugby School. The game was first played on November 1823.

William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran with it during a football match, thus creating what would become known as rugby football.

▌ Early Development

In its initial stages, rugby had no formal rules or regulations. Each school developed their own version of the game until standardized rules were established by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) in 1871. This union aimed to unify various forms of play into one coherent set of rules for all clubs across Britain.

The sport quickly spread beyond British shores due to colonial expansion and military presence worldwide. By the late 19th century, rugby was being played internationally between different nations such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, and Canada among others.

▌ Split into Two Codes

A significant event occurred within rugby history when an argument arose over payments made to players who missed work because they participated in matches. In response to this issue, two separate codes emerged: Rugby Union where amateurism prevailed while professionalism dominated in Rugby League, which allowed payment for player participation.

This division led to further evolution of both games resulting in distinct rule sets and playing styles over time.

▌ Modern Era & Global Expansion

Today there are numerous international competitions including World Cups held every four years since 1987 organized under IRB now called World Rugby. These tournaments attract millions globally showcasing top-level talent from countries like England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa etc., making them some of world’s most watched sporting events alongside soccer’s FIFA World Cup.

Additionally, sevens format has gained popularity especially after becoming part of Olympic Games program starting Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016 adding another dimension to traditional fifteen-a-side contests seen elsewhere.