Who is web Ellis?

Answer 1

William Web-Ellis was a 17 year old student of Rugby School, Warwickshire England. In 1823 private schools played a game of football where the ball was kicked around the pitch or could be handled. When handling the football the player had to run back toward his own team and pass the ball. Web-Ellis decided that he would buck the system and run FORWARD. This was not allowed of course. However, this forward running then gave way to maintaining the back pass (as we have today). Also in those days the sides were NOT 15 a side - it was not unusual to have 70 against 30. As more students got involved the game then moved with them to universities etc and then it traveled to the Southern Hemisphere. William Web Ellis went on to become a clergyman and lived in France where he died 24 January 1872