How did the game rugby come about?

Answer 1

In the 1800's, the seven major "public" (for Americans these are actually private) schools of England started to formalize the rules of "football". While six of the seven schools played a very similar game involving kicking and chasing the ball, Rugby school in Warwickshire played a very different game.

Association football (Assoc football- hence soccer) developed as those six schools refined the rules. How Rugby's game developed differently is not really known.

In Rugby Union myth, a young player by the name of William Webb Ellis at Rugby school in 1823 started the unique aspects of rugby football by, as the stone monument at Rugby School states:

"This stone commemorates the exploit of William Webb Ellis who with a fine disregard for the rules of football, as played in his time, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it, thus originating the distinctive features of the rugby game, a.d. 1823"

Like many good legends, it is false.

The reality is that handling the ball was generally permitted in all variations of football in the early 1800s. This existed up to the formation of the Football Association in 1860. There was even consideration to allow ball handling in Association football. Ultimately it was forbidden.

Back to Rugby School's style of football: By the 1830's running with the ball was the norm, the H shape goal post (two vertical posts and a cross bar) was being used, and the concepts of the scrum and line out were introduced.

The basic modes of scoring were in place. With the introduction of the crossbar also came a change in the rules of rugby that said a goal could only be scored by the ball passing over the bar from a place kick or drop kick. A "try at goal" was awarded when a player placed the ball down on the ground behind the opponent's goal. This is where the where the Gridiron football term "touch down" for a score came from. The "after try" conversion was based on where the ball was touched down in the try zone. To keep the teams apart and prevent the ball from being passed forward, the "off your side" rule was introduced.

The official rules (the laws) were initially agreed on and documented in 1862. Many former Rugby students and clubs wanted to play rugby and have a formal competition structure outside of the Rugby School.

In 1871, the Rugby Football Union was formed with 21 clubs. This is the official start of what is now known as Rugby Union Football.

Two other forms of Football developed form Rugby Union. In the mining communities of Wales and northern England a variation known as Rugby League started. Significant in this was that it was played by the working classes and professionalism was allowed. In the United States, Rugby Union evolved into what is now known as Gridiron, or American, Football.

I hope this is what you wanted.

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