Rugby

Rugby was invented when William Webb Ellis caught the ball and ran in a football game!

As rugby balls and footballs, at the time, were made from pig bladders and they had to be blown up by breath alone, it was possible to become ill if blowing up a diseased. William Webb Ellis went on to win a Blue for cricket at Oxford and became an Anglican clergyman. Rugby balls were originally plum-shaped as they were made from pig bladders of that shape. Originally a try had no value but allowed the attacking team to “try” a kick at foal. If successful it converted a try into a goal, hence the name.

If the population of Rugby went to Twickenham. Every four years the Rugby world cup comes around, making the lives of rugby fans that little bit more sweeter. Originally no points were awarded for a try.

The first time a national anthem was sung before a sporting event happened, kind of spontaneously, before a rugby game. New Zealand famously dance the Haka before the start of a game of rugby, a traditional war-dance which is sometimes seen as an attempt to intimidate their opposition. On 16th November 1905 they played Wales at Cardiff Arms Park. After New Zealand danced the Haka before the match, Wales responded by beginning to sing the Welsh national anthem, ‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’ (not sure what it means, but it probably isn't anything to do with chickens). The crowd picked up on this and joined in. Nowadays, before major sporting events, it is traditional for the national anthems of the countries being represented to be sung beforehand. Rugby Union world cup tournaments are held every four years. The first took place in 1987. It was hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The United Kingdom and Wales hosted the 1991 tournament witch was won by Australia. South Africa were hosts in 1999 when Australia were victorious. Australia hosted the 2003 tournament