Rugby takes its name from Rugby School in England, where a handling form of football developed in the early nineteenth century. Pupils there wrote down the first set of rules in 1845, and the game spread through schools, universities and clubs. It became formally organized in 1871, when the Rugby Football Union was founded and Scotland played England in the first international match. In 1895, a dispute over payments to working-class players led northern English clubs to break away, creating what became rugby league, while the original code continued as rugby union. Rugby union remained officially amateur until 1995, when it turned professional. The first Rugby World Cup was held in 1987, and rugby sevens joined the Olympic Games in 2016. Today rugby is played in well over a hundred countries.
Rulebook note: This article covers the history of rugby rather than current laws. Today’s laws for rugby union are set by World Rugby, while rugby league and other codes have their own governing bodies and rules. Check the current laws for your competition.
Timeline of rugby history
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1823 | According to legend, William Webb Ellis picks up the ball and runs at Rugby School |
| 1845 | Rugby School pupils write the first written rules |
| 1871 | Rugby Football Union founded; first international, Scotland v England |
| 1886 | International Rugby Football Board founded, later World Rugby |
| 1895 | Northern clubs break away, forming what became rugby league |
| 1900 to 1924 | Rugby union appears at several Olympic Games |
| 1987 | First Rugby World Cup, co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia |
| 1991 | First Women’s Rugby World Cup held |
| 1995 | Rugby union becomes professional |
| 2016 | Rugby sevens joins the Olympics at Rio de Janeiro |
Origins at Rugby School
Many forms of folk football were played in Britain for centuries, often with few rules and large numbers of players. In the early nineteenth century, English public schools developed their own versions. At Rugby School in Warwickshire, the local game allowed players to handle the ball and run with it. The famous story that William Webb Ellis first picked up the ball and ran with it in 1823 comes from an account published decades later, and historians generally regard it as a legend rather than a documented event. Even so, the Rugby World Cup trophy is named the Webb Ellis Cup in his honor. In 1845, pupils at the school produced the first written rules of the game.
Organization and the first internationals
As former pupils took the game to universities and clubs, differences in rules caused confusion. In 1871, clubs met in London to form the Rugby Football Union and agree common rules. The same year, Scotland and England played the first international rugby match in Edinburgh, which Scotland won. National unions formed in other countries, and in 1886 the International Rugby Football Board was established to oversee the laws of the game internationally. It later became the International Rugby Board and is now known as World Rugby.
The great split of 1895
Rugby was officially amateur, but many players in northern England were working men who could not afford to miss paid work to play. Clubs sought to compensate them for lost wages, known as broken-time payments, but the Rugby Football Union refused. In 1895, a group of northern clubs broke away and formed the Northern Rugby Football Union. Over time, this body changed its rules, reducing teams to thirteen players and introducing features such as the play-the-ball, creating the distinct sport of rugby league. The original game continued as rugby union.
Global spread
Rugby spread across the British Empire and beyond through schools, soldiers, migrants and traders. New Zealand, South Africa and Australia became major powers, and touring teams helped build intense rivalries. France adopted the game in the late nineteenth century and has become one of rugby’s leading nations. Rugby union was played at several early Olympic Games, with the United States winning gold in 1920 and 1924, before it disappeared from the Olympic program for many decades. Rugby also developed strongly in the Pacific Islands, Argentina, Japan and parts of Europe.
How the laws evolved
Rugby’s laws have changed a great deal since the first written rules. Early games could involve large numbers of players and long, static scrummages. Team sizes settled at fifteen in rugby union in the late nineteenth century. Scoring values also shifted over time: in early rugby, tries were mainly a way to earn a kick at goal, and it was only later that the try itself became worth more points than a goal. In rugby union, a try was eventually valued at four points and, from 1992, at five points, reflecting a desire to reward attacking play. Laws governing the scrum, lineout, tackle and breakdown continue to be refined, often with player safety and the flow of the game in mind.
Rugby’s culture and traditions
Alongside its laws, rugby developed a distinctive culture. Respect for the referee, shaking hands after matches and socializing with opponents are long-standing traditions, as is the idea that the game builds character and teamwork. Many national teams have iconic rituals, such as New Zealand’s haka and other Pacific Island war dances performed before matches. Club rugby remains central to the sport, with local teams providing a path from junior players to veterans and creating strong community ties. These traditions are an important part of why rugby continues to attract players and fans around the world.
The World Cup and professionalism
The first Rugby World Cup was held in 1987, co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, and New Zealand won the tournament. The event quickly became one of the world’s major sporting competitions. In 1995, shortly after that year’s World Cup in South Africa, rugby union’s governing body declared the game open, allowing players to be paid and ending more than a century of official amateurism. Professionalism transformed the sport, bringing full-time players, new club competitions and much greater commercial interest.
Women’s rugby and sevens
Women have played rugby for well over a century, and the first Women’s Rugby World Cup was held in 1991. Women’s rugby has grown rapidly in recent decades, with professional and semi-professional competitions in several countries. Rugby sevens, a faster version with seven players per side, originated in Scotland in the late nineteenth century and became a global tournament game. Sevens entered the Olympic Games in 2016 for both men and women, giving rugby a new global audience.
How to explore rugby history
- Visit Rugby School and its museum or learn about the town’s connection to the game.
- Watch archive footage of historic World Cup matches.
- Read club histories, since many local clubs date back over a century.
- Compare union and league rules to understand the effects of the 1895 split.
- Follow sevens and women’s rugby, the sport’s fastest-growing areas.
Common misconceptions
- Webb Ellis definitely invented rugby: the story is widely considered a legend.
- Rugby league is a later invention unrelated to union: both grew from the same game.
- Rugby was always professional: union was officially amateur until 1995.
- Rugby is new to the Olympics: union was played at early Games before sevens returned in 2016.
Frequently asked questions
Who invented rugby?
The Webb Ellis story is popular, but historians consider it a legend. The game evolved gradually at Rugby School and elsewhere.
What is the difference between rugby union and rugby league?
They split in 1895 and now have different rules, team sizes and scoring.
When was the first Rugby World Cup?
The first Rugby World Cup was held in 1987 in New Zealand and Australia.
