Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand.
The game is very popular in South Africa, having been introduced by English-speaking settlers in the 19th century. British colonists also brought the game with them to Australia and New Zealand, where the game is widely played. It has spread since to much of Polynesia, having particularly strong followings in Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga.
Rugby league and association football were not the only early competitors to rugby union. In the late 19th century, a number of "national" football codes emerged around the world, including Australian rules football (originating in Victoria), Gaelic football (Ireland), and the gridiron codes: American and Canadian football. [citation needed]
With urbanization in the 19th century, the rural games moved to the new urban centres and came under the influence of the middle and upper classes. The rules and regulations devised at English institutions began to be applied to the wider game, with governing bodies in England being set up for a number of sports by the end of the 19th century.
In the first half of the 19th century, the game began to spread, as ex-pupils of Rugby, and other public schools, introduced it into the universities. At Cambridge University, in 1839, a game was organised between Old Rugbeians and Old Etonians, and a rugby club was formed at Guy's Hospital, London in 1843.
In 19th-century rugby football, they were positioned at the midpoint between the forwards and the three fullbacks used at the time. [23] Originally known as halfway backs. [23] Hand-off See Fend. Handover "The surrendering of the ball to the opposition after a team has been tackled the statutory number of successive times."
Main page; Contents; Current events; Random article; About Wikipedia; Contact us; Pages for logged out editors learn more
English. Read; Edit; View history; Tools. ... 19th century in rugby union (8 C) 20th century in rugby union (11 C) 21st century in rugby union (5 C)