🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 62 (from laksa091)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa062.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup","crawl_time":1776157478,"first_indexed_time":1483911148,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,britannica!www,\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup s443","src_root_hash":"5455945239613777662","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Rugby Union World Cup | International, Nations & Teams | Britannica","meta_descriptions":["Rugby Union World Cup, quadrennial union-rules rugby competition that is the sport’s premier international contest. The first Rugby World Cup competition organized by the International Rugby Board (IRB) was held in 1987 in New Zealand and Australia and was a popular and financial success. It was"],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Top Questions\nWhat are the origins of rugby football?\nHow did rugby spread internationally?\nWhat is the difference between rugby union and rugby league?\nWhat is the significance of the All Blacks in New Zealand?\nrugby\n,\nfootball\ngame played with an oval\nball\nby two teams of 15 players (in rugby union play) or 13 players (in rugby league play). Both rugby union and rugby league have their origins in the style of football played at Rugby School in England. According to the sport’s lore, in 1823\nWilliam Webb Ellis, a pupil at Rugby School, defied the conventions of the day (that the ball may only be kicked forward) to pick up the ball and run with it in a game, thus creating the distinct handling game of rugby football. This “historical” basis of the game was well established by the early 1900s, about the same time that foundation\nmyths\nwere invented for\nbaseball\nand\nAustralian rules football\n. While it is known that Webb Ellis was a student at Rugby School at the time, there is no direct evidence of the actual event’s having taken place, though it was cited by the Old Rugbeian Society in an 1897 report on the origins of the game. Nevertheless, Rugby School, whose name has been given to the sport, was pivotal in the development of rugby football, and the first rules of the game that became rugby union football were established there in 1845.\nRugby is now a popular sport in many countries of the world, with clubs and national teams found in places as\ndiverse\nas Japan,\nCôte d’Ivoire\n, Georgia, Uruguay, and Spain. Rugby among women is one of the world’s fastest-growing\nsports\n. At the turn of the 21st century, the International Rugby Board (IRB; founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board), headquartered in\nDublin\n, boasted more than 100\naffiliated\nnational unions, though at the top level the sport was still dominated by the traditional rugby powers of Australia, England,\nFrance\n,\nIreland\n,\nNew Zealand\n, Scotland,\nSouth Africa\n, and Wales.\nHistory\nOrigins\nDifferent forms of football have existed for centuries. (For more on the development of football sports,\nsee\nfootball\n.) In\nBritain\n, football games may have been played as early as the time of Roman occupation in the 1st century\nbce\n. During the 14th and 15th centuries\nce\n,\nShrove Tuesday\nfootball matches became annual traditions in local\ncommunities\n, and many of these games continued well into the 19th century. These localized versions of\nfolk football\n(a violent sport distinctive for its large teams and lack of rules) gradually found favour within the English public (independent) schools, where they were modified and adapted into one of two forms: a dribbling game, played primarily with the feet, that was promoted at Eton and Harrow, and a handling game favoured by Rugby, Marlborough, and Cheltenham.\nGame playing, particularly football, was encouraged at\nRugby School\nby influential headmaster\nThomas Arnold\n(1828–42), and many boys educated at this time were instrumental in the expansion of the game. Rugby football soon became one of the most significant sports in the promotion of English and, later, British imperial manliness. The game’s virtues were promoted by books such as\nThomas Hughes’s\nTom Brown’s School Days\n(1857). The cult of manliness that resulted centred on the public schools and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, where boys were sent to learn how to become young gentlemen. Part of the schoolboy’s training was a commitment to\narduous\nphysical activity\n, and, by the late 19th century, rugby and\ncricket\nhad become the leading sports that developed the “civilized” manly behaviour of the elite. It was believed that rugby football instilled in the “muscular Christian” gentleman the values of unselfishness, fearlessness, teamwork, and self-control. Graduates of these public schools and of Oxford and Cambridge formed the first football clubs, which led to the institutionalization of rugby.\nOnce they had left school, many young men wanted to continue playing the game of their youth, and the early annual matches between\nalumni\nand current senior students were not enough to satisfy these players. Football clubs were formed in the mid-19th century, with one of the very first rugby clubs appearing at Blackheath in 1858. Rugby enthusiasm also spread rapidly to Ireland and Scotland, with a club founded at the\nUniversity of Dublin\nin 1854 and the formation by the Old Boys of Edinburgh of the Edinburgh Academicals Rugby Football Club in 1858. In 1863 the tradition of club matches began in England with Blackheath playing Richmond.\nBritannica Quiz\nSports Fun Facts Quiz\nRepresentatives of several leading football clubs met in 1863 to try to devise a common set of rules for football. Disputes arose over handling the ball and “\nhacking,” the term given to the tactics of tripping an opponent and kicking his shins. Both handling and hacking were allowed under rugby’s rules but disallowed in other forms of football. Led by F.W. Campbell of Blackheath, the rugby men refused to budge over hacking, calling those against the practice “unmanly.” Though Campbell’s group was in the minority, it refused to agree to the rules established for the new\nFootball Association\n(FA) even though many elements of rugby rules were included in early\ncompromises\n. Ultimately, rugby was left outside the FA. Despite the initial reluctance to abandon hacking, rugby clubs began to abolish the practice during the late 1860s. Blackheath banned it in 1865, and Richmond supported a similar prohibition in 1866.\nRugby received bad publicity after a Richmond player was killed in a practice match in 1871, prompting leading clubs to respond to Richmond and Blackheath’s call for an organizational meeting. Thus, in 1871 members of leading rugby clubs met to form the\nRugby Football Union\n(RFU), which became the governing body for the sport. By this time, hacking had largely disappeared from club rugby, though it remained a part of the game’s “character building” qualities at Rugby School. As a result of its continued\nadherence\nto the practice, Rugby School did not join the RFU until 1890.\nSmart, reliable knowledge for professionals, students, and curious minds everywhere.\nSUBSCRIBE","attrs_markdown":"[![Encyclopedia Britannica](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel\/eb-logo\/MendelNewThistleLogo.png)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/)\n\n[![Encyclopedia Britannica](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel\/eb-logo\/MendelNewThistleLogo.png)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/)\n\n[SUBSCRIBE](https:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav&utm_campaign=blue-evergreen)\n\n[SUBSCRIBE](https:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav-mobile&utm_campaign=blue-evergreen)\n\nLogin\n\nhttps:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm\\_source=premium\\&utm\\_medium=nav-login-box\\&utm\\_campaign=evergreen\n\n[SUBSCRIBE](https:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=hamburger-menu&utm_campaign=blue)\n\n[Ask the Chatbot](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/chatbot)\n\n[Games & Quizzes](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/browse) [History & Society](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/History-Society) [Science & Tech](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/Science-Tech) [Biographies](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/Biographies) [Animals & Nature](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/Animals-Nature) [Geography & Travel](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/Geography-Travel) [Arts & Culture](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/Arts-Culture) [ProCon](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/procon) [Money](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/money) [Videos](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/videos)\n\n[Rugby Union World Cup](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup)\n\n[Introduction](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup)   [References & Edit History](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup\/additional-info)  [Quick Facts & Related Topics](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/facts\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup)\n\n[Images & Videos](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup\/images-videos)\n\n[![2007 Rugby Union World Cup final match](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/55\/110955-004-C3793AEB\/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/55\/110955-050-D1EBFD2F\/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg)\n\n[![Who actually invented rugby?](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/29\/239229-138-EC42AD19\/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb\/-280705)\n\n[![Jonah Lomu](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/76\/188076-004-525C8C8F\/Jonah-Lomu-semifinal-match-New-Zealand-All-1995.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/76\/188076-050-04254503\/Jonah-Lomu-semifinal-match-New-Zealand-All-1995.jpg)\n\nQuizzes\n\n[![Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/52\/139052-131-7A7975D1\/Balls-shapes-colors-sizes-sports.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/american-sports-nicknames)\n\n[American Sports Nicknames](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/american-sports-nicknames)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)\n\nContents\n\nAsk Anything\n\n[Sports & Recreation](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/browse\/Sports-Recreation)    [Other Sports](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/browse\/Other-Sports)\n\nCITE\n\nShare\n\nFeedback\n\nExternal Websites\n\n[![2007 Rugby Union World Cup final match](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/55\/110955-050-D1EBFD2F\/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/55\/110955-050-D1EBFD2F\/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg)\n\n[2007 Rugby Union World Cup final match](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/55\/110955-050-D1EBFD2F\/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg) South Africa's Francois Steyn (center) running with the ball during the 2007 Rugby Union World Cup final match.\n\n(more)\n\n# Rugby Union World Cup\nrugby competition\n\nHomework Help\n\nAlso known as: Rugby World Cup\n\nWritten and fact-checked by\n\n[Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/editor\/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica\/4419)\n\nBritannica Editors\n\nLast updated\n\nApr. 11, 2026\n\n•[History](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup\/additional-info#history)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Britannica AI\n\nAsk Anything\n\nTable of Contents\n\nTable of Contents\n\nAsk Anything\n\n## News •\n[Ellie Kildunne: England full-back felt 'really alone' after World Cup win](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/sport\/rugby-union\/articles\/c1kr49lxmmvo)\n\n• Apr. 8, 2026, 2:01 AM ET (BBC)\n\n...(Show more)\n\n[Flyhalf O'Connor targeting Wallabies recall](https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/sport\/flyhalf-oconnor-targeting-wallabies-recall)  • Mar. 27, 2026, 3:22 AM ET (Straits Times)\n\n[Red Roses: Seven uncapped players in England's Women's Six Nations squad](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/sport\/rugby-union\/articles\/clyjgnyr792o)  • Mar. 20, 2026, 5:05 AM ET (BBC)\n\n[Rugby World Cup 2035: Argentina make case for first South American edition](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/sport\/rugby-union\/articles\/c9q5q1l08gdo)  • Mar. 18, 2026, 9:12 AM ET (BBC)\n\n[Shaun Edwards has 'ambition to win a Rugby Championship'](https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/sport\/rugby-union\/articles\/c8jx4dyewjzo)  • Mar. 17, 2026, 6:16 AM ET (BBC)\n\nShow less\n\n**Rugby Union World Cup**, quadrennial union-rules [rugby](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby) competition that is the sport’s premier international contest.\n\nThe first Rugby World Cup competition organized by the International Rugby Board (IRB) was held in 1987 in [New Zealand](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/New-Zealand) and [Australia](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Australia) and was a popular and financial success. It was staged four years after a failed attempt to launch a global “rebel” (that is, outside the control of the IRB) professional championship. The 1991 [World Cup](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/World-Cup-golf), held in the United Kingdom, [Ireland](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Ireland), and [France](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/France) and won by Australia, had confirmed its place as a major international sporting festival. By the early 21st century, the Rugby World Cup could claim to be the third largest international televised sporting event as the tournament reached over 200 countries and some 4 billion viewers.\n\nAlso called:\n\nRugby World Cup\n\n*(Show more)*\n\nRelated Topics:\n\n[rugby](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby)\n\n*(Show more)*\n\nNotable Honorees:\n\n[François Pienaar](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Francois-Pienaar)\n\n[Joost van der Westhuizen](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Joost-van-der-Westhuizen)\n\n*(Show more)*\n\n[See all related content](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/facts\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup)\n\n[![Who actually invented rugby?](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/29\/239229-138-EC42AD19\/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb\/-280705)\n\nWho actually invented rugby?Rugby has its origins in 19th-century England.\n\n(more)\n\n[See all videos for this article](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup\/images-videos)\n\nResults of the Rugby Union World Cup are provided in the table.\n\n[![Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/52\/139052-131-7A7975D1\/Balls-shapes-colors-sizes-sports.jpg) Britannica Quiz American Sports Nicknames](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/american-sports-nicknames)\n\n| year | result |   |   |   |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| 1987 | New Zealand | 29 | France | 9 |\n| 1991 | Australia | 12 | England | 6 |\n| 1995 | South Africa | 15 | New Zealand | 12 |\n| 1999 | Australia | 35 | France | 12 |\n| 2003 | England | 20 | Australia | 17 |\n| 2007 | South Africa | 15 | England | 6 |\n| 2011 | New Zealand | 8 | France | 7 |\n| 2015 | New Zealand | 34 | Australia | 17 |\n| 2019 | South Africa | 32 | England | 12 |\n| 2023 | South Africa | 12 | New Zealand | 11 |\n\n[The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/editor\/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica\/4419) This article was most recently revised and updated by [Tracy Grant](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/editor\/tracy-grant\/12854611).\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)Britannica AI\n\n*chevron\\_right*\n\nRugby Union World Cup\n\n*close*\n\n[AI-generated answers](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/about-britannica-ai) from Britannica articles. AI makes mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.\n\n[rugby](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby)\n\n- [Introduction & Top Questions](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby)\n- [History](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby#ref29651)\n  - [Origins](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby#ref29652)\n  \n  - [The growth of the game](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/The-growth-of-the-game)\n    - [Northern Hemisphere](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261296)\n      - [Northern England and the split](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261297)\n      - [Wales](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261298)\n      - [France](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261299)\n      - [Italy](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261300)\n      - [Canada and the United States](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261301)\n    - [Southern Hemisphere](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261302)\n      - [Australia](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Australia)\n      - [New Zealand](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Australia#ref261304)\n      - [South Africa](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Australia#ref261305)\n      - [Other countries](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Australia#ref261306)\n  \n  - [The modern era](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Australia#ref29655)\n- [Organization and competition](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Organization-and-competition)\n  - [Rugby union](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Organization-and-competition#ref29657)\n  \n  - [Rugby league](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Rugby-league)\n  \n  - [Rugby sevens](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Rugby-league#ref261307)\n- [Women and rugby](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Rugby-league#ref261308)\n- [Play of the game](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Rugby-league#ref29659)\n  - [Field of play and equipment](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Rugby-league#ref29660)\n  \n  - [Principles of play](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Principles-of-play)\n  \n  - [Scoring](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Principles-of-play#ref261309)\n  \n  - [Positions](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Principles-of-play#ref261310)\n    - [Backs](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Principles-of-play#ref261311)\n    - [Forwards](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/Principles-of-play#ref261312)\n\n[References & Edit History](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/additional-info)  [Quick Facts & Related Topics](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/facts\/rugby)\n\n[Images & Videos](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/images-videos)\n\n[![Rugby World Cup Final, 2019](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/27\/222727-004-BB09D693\/South-Africa-and-England-Rugby-World-Cup-2019-Final-Yokohama-Japan.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/27\/222727-050-5CDE94F8\/South-Africa-and-England-Rugby-World-Cup-2019-Final-Yokohama-Japan.jpg)\n\n[![How to play rugby](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/27\/180027-138-560148F7\/Overview-rugby.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/Overview-rugby\/-192017)\n\n[![Who actually invented rugby?](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/29\/239229-138-EC42AD19\/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb\/-280705)\n\n[![Australia, on the move](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/05\/252805-004-EBB11CCE\/Billy-Slater-Rugby-League-World-Cup-2013.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/05\/252805-050-D3E6DBF9\/Billy-Slater-Rugby-League-World-Cup-2013.jpg)  [![Ceremonial dance](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/90\/273690-004-89B0EF6D\/new-zealand-all-blacks-rugby-haka-november-2024.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/90\/273690-050-660812DE\/new-zealand-all-blacks-rugby-haka-november-2024.jpg)\n\n[![A beginner's guide to rugby](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/33\/179933-138-325F835D\/basics-rugby.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/basics-rugby\/-193479)\n\n[![Rugby playing field](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/84\/4384-004-B1123C96\/Rugby-playing-field-goals-divisions.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/84\/4384-004-B1123C96\/Rugby-playing-field-goals-divisions.jpg)  [![Players in position for a scrummage](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/85\/4385-004-342380CF\/Players-position-scrummage-Positions-players-line-out-ball.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/85\/4385-050-D2BA9286\/Players-position-scrummage-Positions-players-line-out-ball.jpg)  [![Wales-England rugby match](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/46\/26146-004-1FB347E4\/Home-Union-teams-binding-England-Wales-line-out-1986.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/46\/26146-050-C85E2CCD\/Home-Union-teams-binding-England-Wales-line-out-1986.jpg)  [![2007 Rugby Union World Cup final match](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/55\/110955-004-C3793AEB\/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/55\/110955-050-D1EBFD2F\/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg)\n\nAt a Glance\n\n[![default image](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/shared\/new-thistle.svg?v=3.179.9)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/summary\/rugby)\n\n[rugby summary](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/summary\/rugby)\n\nQuizzes\n\n[![Cricket bat and ball. cricket sport of cricket.Homepage blog 2011, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/47\/148847-131-607DD61C\/Cricket-bat-ball.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/sports-quiz)\n\n[Sports Quiz](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/sports-quiz)\n\n[![Men fencing (sport; swordplay; sword)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/07\/171007-131-F777FC60\/Men-fencing.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/sports-season)\n\n[Sports Season](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/sports-season)\n\n[![Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/52\/139052-131-7A7975D1\/Balls-shapes-colors-sizes-sports.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/american-sports-nicknames)\n\n[American Sports Nicknames](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/american-sports-nicknames)\n\n[![Volleyball match](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/08\/190908-131-A6B6D47D\/Volleyball-match.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/sports-fun-facts-quiz)\n\n[Sports Fun Facts Quiz](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/sports-fun-facts-quiz)\n\nRelated Questions\n\n- [What are the main types of sports that involve ice skating?](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/question\/What-are-the-main-types-of-sports-that-involve-ice-skating)\n- [What is the age limit for competitive figure skating?](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/question\/What-is-the-age-limit-for-competitive-figure-skating)\n- [What is double-touching in curling?](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/question\/What-is-double-touching-in-curling)\n- [How is curling scored in the Olympics?](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/question\/How-is-curling-scored-in-the-Olympics)\n- [What is the main objective of curling?](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/question\/What-is-the-main-objective-of-curling)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)\n\nAsk Anything\n\nQuick Summary\n\n[Sports & Recreation](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/browse\/Sports-Recreation)    [Other Sports](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/browse\/Other-Sports)\n\nCITE\n\nShare\n\nFeedback\n\nExternal Websites\n\n[![Rugby World Cup Final, 2019](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/27\/222727-050-5CDE94F8\/South-Africa-and-England-Rugby-World-Cup-2019-Final-Yokohama-Japan.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop)](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/27\/222727-050-5CDE94F8\/South-Africa-and-England-Rugby-World-Cup-2019-Final-Yokohama-Japan.jpg)\n\n[Rugby World Cup Final, 2019](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/27\/222727-050-5CDE94F8\/South-Africa-and-England-Rugby-World-Cup-2019-Final-Yokohama-Japan.jpg) Willie Le Roux of South Africa runs with the ball under pressure from Owen Farrell (L) and George Ford of England during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Final between England and South Africa.\n\n(more)\n\n# rugby\nsport\n\nHomework Help\n\nAlso known as: rugger\n\nWritten by\n\n[John Nauright Professor of Sport Management, George Mason University. Co-author of *Rugby and the South African Nation* and *Making Men: Rugby and Masculine Identity.*](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/contributor\/John-Nauright\/5307)\n\nJohn Nauright\n\nFact-checked by\n\n[Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/editor\/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica\/4419)\n\nBritannica Editors\n\n[History](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/additional-info#history)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Britannica AI\n\nAsk Anything\n\nQuick Summary\n\nTable of Contents\n\nTable of Contents\n\nQuick Summary\n\nAsk Anything\n\nTop Questions\n\n### What are the origins of rugby football?\nRugby football originated from the style of football played at Rugby School in England. It is said to have started in 1823 when William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran with it, creating rugby football. The first rules were established at Rugby School in 1845.\n\n### How did rugby spread internationally?\nRugby spread from England to other parts of the British Empire, including Ireland, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It also reached North America, France, Italy, and other countries, becoming a popular sport worldwide.\n\n### What is the difference between rugby union and rugby league?\n[Rugby union](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup) is played with 15 players per team, while [rugby league](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-League-World-Cup) has 13. Rugby union allows for indefinite possession, whereas rugby league limits possession to six tackles. The scoring system and some rules differ between the two codes.\n\n### What is the significance of the All Blacks in New Zealand?\nThe [All Blacks](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/All-Blacks) are New Zealand’s national rugby team, known for their black uniforms. They are a symbol of national pride and identity, performing the *[haka](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/art\/haka)* before matches, which is a traditional [Māori](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Maori) war dance and chant.\n\n[![How to play rugby](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/27\/180027-138-560148F7\/Overview-rugby.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/Overview-rugby\/-192017)\n\nHow to play rugbyOverview of rugby.\n\n(more)\n\n[See all videos for this article](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/images-videos)\n\n**rugby**, [football](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/football-the-games) game played with an oval [ball](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/ball-sports) by two teams of 15 players (in rugby union play) or 13 players (in rugby league play). Both rugby union and rugby league have their origins in the style of football played at Rugby School in England. According to the sport’s lore, in 1823 William Webb Ellis, a pupil at Rugby School, defied the conventions of the day (that the ball may only be kicked forward) to pick up the ball and run with it in a game, thus creating the distinct handling game of rugby football. This “historical” basis of the game was well established by the early 1900s, about the same time that foundation [myths](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/myths) were invented for [baseball](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/baseball) and [Australian rules football](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Australian-rules-football). While it is known that Webb Ellis was a student at Rugby School at the time, there is no direct evidence of the actual event’s having taken place, though it was cited by the Old Rugbeian Society in an 1897 report on the origins of the game. Nevertheless, Rugby School, whose name has been given to the sport, was pivotal in the development of rugby football, and the first rules of the game that became rugby union football were established there in 1845.\n\n[![Who actually invented rugby?](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/29\/239229-138-EC42AD19\/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop)](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/video\/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb\/-280705)\n\nWho actually invented rugby?Rugby has its origins in 19th-century England.\n\n(more)\n\n[See all videos for this article](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby\/images-videos)\n\nRugby is now a popular sport in many countries of the world, with clubs and national teams found in places as [diverse](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/diverse) as Japan, [Côte d’Ivoire](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Cote-dIvoire), Georgia, Uruguay, and Spain. Rugby among women is one of the world’s fastest-growing [sports](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/sports). At the turn of the 21st century, the International Rugby Board (IRB; founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board), headquartered in [Dublin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Dublin), boasted more than 100 [affiliated](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/affiliated) national unions, though at the top level the sport was still dominated by the traditional rugby powers of Australia, England, [France](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/France), [Ireland](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Ireland), [New Zealand](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/New-Zealand), Scotland, [South Africa](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/South-Africa), and Wales.\n\n## History\n## Origins\nDifferent forms of football have existed for centuries. (For more on the development of football sports, *see* [football](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/football-the-games).) In [Britain](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/United-Kingdom), football games may have been played as early as the time of Roman occupation in the 1st century bce. During the 14th and 15th centuries ce, [Shrove Tuesday](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Shrove-Tuesday) football matches became annual traditions in local [communities](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/communities), and many of these games continued well into the 19th century. These localized versions of [folk football](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/folk-football) (a violent sport distinctive for its large teams and lack of rules) gradually found favour within the English public (independent) schools, where they were modified and adapted into one of two forms: a dribbling game, played primarily with the feet, that was promoted at Eton and Harrow, and a handling game favoured by Rugby, Marlborough, and Cheltenham.\n\nGame playing, particularly football, was encouraged at [Rugby School](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Rugby-School) by influential headmaster [Thomas Arnold](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Thomas-Arnold) (1828–42), and many boys educated at this time were instrumental in the expansion of the game. Rugby football soon became one of the most significant sports in the promotion of English and, later, British imperial manliness. The game’s virtues were promoted by books such as [Thomas Hughes’s](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Thomas-Hughes) *[Tom Brown’s School Days](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Tom-Browns-School-Days)* (1857). The cult of manliness that resulted centred on the public schools and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, where boys were sent to learn how to become young gentlemen. Part of the schoolboy’s training was a commitment to [arduous](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/arduous) [physical activity](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/physical-activity), and, by the late 19th century, rugby and [cricket](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/cricket-sport) had become the leading sports that developed the “civilized” manly behaviour of the elite. It was believed that rugby football instilled in the “muscular Christian” gentleman the values of unselfishness, fearlessness, teamwork, and self-control. Graduates of these public schools and of Oxford and Cambridge formed the first football clubs, which led to the institutionalization of rugby.\n\nOnce they had left school, many young men wanted to continue playing the game of their youth, and the early annual matches between [alumni](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/alumni) and current senior students were not enough to satisfy these players. Football clubs were formed in the mid-19th century, with one of the very first rugby clubs appearing at Blackheath in 1858. Rugby enthusiasm also spread rapidly to Ireland and Scotland, with a club founded at the [University of Dublin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/University-of-Dublin) in 1854 and the formation by the Old Boys of Edinburgh of the Edinburgh Academicals Rugby Football Club in 1858. In 1863 the tradition of club matches began in England with Blackheath playing Richmond.\n\n[![Volleyball match](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/08\/190908-131-A6B6D47D\/Volleyball-match.jpg) Britannica Quiz Sports Fun Facts Quiz](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/sports-fun-facts-quiz)\n\nRepresentatives of several leading football clubs met in 1863 to try to devise a common set of rules for football. Disputes arose over handling the ball and “hacking,” the term given to the tactics of tripping an opponent and kicking his shins. Both handling and hacking were allowed under rugby’s rules but disallowed in other forms of football. Led by F.W. Campbell of Blackheath, the rugby men refused to budge over hacking, calling those against the practice “unmanly.” Though Campbell’s group was in the minority, it refused to agree to the rules established for the new [Football Association](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Football-Association) (FA) even though many elements of rugby rules were included in early [compromises](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/compromises). Ultimately, rugby was left outside the FA. Despite the initial reluctance to abandon hacking, rugby clubs began to abolish the practice during the late 1860s. Blackheath banned it in 1865, and Richmond supported a similar prohibition in 1866.\n\nKey People:\n\n[Richie McCaw](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Richie-McCaw)\n\n[George Nēpia](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/George-Nepia)\n\n[Danie Craven](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Danie-Craven)\n\n[Jacques Rogge](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Jacques-Rogge)\n\n[Tony O’Reilly](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Tony-OReilly)\n\n*(Show more)*\n\nRelated Topics:\n\n[Currie Cup](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Currie-Cup-rugby-trophy)\n\n[Ranfurly Shield](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Ranfurly-Shield)\n\n[scrum](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/scrum)\n\n[try](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/try)\n\n[seven-a-side rugby](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/seven-a-side-rugby)\n\n*(Show more)*\n\n[See all related content](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/facts\/rugby)\n\nRugby received bad publicity after a Richmond player was killed in a practice match in 1871, prompting leading clubs to respond to Richmond and Blackheath’s call for an organizational meeting. Thus, in 1871 members of leading rugby clubs met to form the [Rugby Football Union](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Rugby-Football-Union) (RFU), which became the governing body for the sport. By this time, hacking had largely disappeared from club rugby, though it remained a part of the game’s “character building” qualities at Rugby School. As a result of its continued [adherence](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/adherence) to the practice, Rugby School did not join the RFU until 1890.\n\nExplore Britannica Premium\\!\n\nSmart, reliable knowledge for professionals, students, and curious minds everywhere.\n\n[SUBSCRIBE](https:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=smart-2026)\n\n![Penguin, ship, mountain, atlas](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-left.webp)\n\n![shohei ohtani, plants, andy wharhol art](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-right.webp)\n\n![Mobile](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-mobile.webp?w=400)\n\n![Britannica AI Icon](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/mendel-resources\/3-179\/images\/chatbot\/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)Britannica AI\n\n*chevron\\_right*\n\nRugby\n\n*close*\n\n[AI-generated answers](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/about-britannica-ai) from Britannica articles. AI makes mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.\n\nLoad Next Page\n\nFeedback\n\nThank you for your feedback\n\nOur editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.\n\n*verified*Cite\n\nWhile every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.\n\nSelect Citation Style\n\nBritannica Editors. \"Rugby Union World Cup\". *Encyclopedia Britannica*, 11 Apr. 2026, https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup. Accessed 14 April 2026.\n\nCopy Citation\n\nShare\n\nShare to social media\n\n[Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BRITANNICA\/) [X](https:\/\/x.com\/britannica)\n\nURL\n\n<https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Rugby-Union-World-Cup>\n\nExternal Websites\n\n- [CNN Sports - Everything you need to know ahead of the Rugby World Cup](https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2023\/09\/07\/sport\/rugby-world-cup-preview-how-to-watch-spt-intl)\n- [Official Site of Rugby World Cup](https:\/\/www.rugbyworldcup.com\/)\n\nFeedback\n\nThank you for your feedback\n\nOur editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.\n\n*print* Print\n\nPlease select which sections you would like to print:\n\n*verified*Cite\n\nWhile every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.\n\nSelect Citation Style\n\nNauright, John. \"rugby\". *Encyclopedia Britannica*, 5 Sep. 2025, https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby. Accessed 14 April 2026.\n\nCopy Citation\n\nShare\n\nShare to social media\n\n[Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BRITANNICA\/) [X](https:\/\/x.com\/britannica)\n\nURL\n\n<https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/rugby>\n\nExternal Websites\n\n- [RugbyFootballHistory.com - Origins of Rugby](https:\/\/www.rugbyfootballhistory.com\/originsofrugby.htm)\n- [World Rugby - History of rugby in the Olympics](https:\/\/www.world.rugby\/tournaments\/olympics\/history)\n- [Journal of Sports Science and Nutrition - Origin and evolution of rugby: A global perspective (PDF)](https:\/\/www.allsportsjournal.com\/article\/36\/1-2-27-931.pdf)\n- [Frontiers - Editorial: Performance enhancement in rugby](https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/sports-and-active-living\/articles\/10.3389\/fspor.2023.1212390\/full)\n- [Wayne State College - What is Rugby?](https:\/\/www.wsc.edu\/info\/20165\/rugby_club\/707\/what_is_rugby\/)\n- [Historic UK - History of Rugby Football](https:\/\/www.historic-uk.com\/CultureUK\/History-of-Rugby-Football\/)\n- [World Rugby - Rugby Olympic history](https:\/\/www.world.rugby\/tournaments\/olympics\/history)\n\nBritannica Websites\n\nArticles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.\n\n- [rugby - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)](https:\/\/kids.britannica.com\/kids\/article\/rugby\/353732)\n- [rugby - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)](https:\/\/kids.britannica.com\/students\/article\/rugby\/276810)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Top Questions\n\n### What are the origins of rugby football?\n### How did rugby spread internationally?\n### What is the difference between rugby union and rugby league?\n### What is the significance of the All Blacks in New Zealand?\n\n**rugby**, [football](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/football-the-games) game played with an oval [ball](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/ball-sports) by two teams of 15 players (in rugby union play) or 13 players (in rugby league play). Both rugby union and rugby league have their origins in the style of football played at Rugby School in England. According to the sport’s lore, in 1823 William Webb Ellis, a pupil at Rugby School, defied the conventions of the day (that the ball may only be kicked forward) to pick up the ball and run with it in a game, thus creating the distinct handling game of rugby football. This “historical” basis of the game was well established by the early 1900s, about the same time that foundation [myths](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/myths) were invented for [baseball](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/baseball) and [Australian rules football](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/Australian-rules-football). While it is known that Webb Ellis was a student at Rugby School at the time, there is no direct evidence of the actual event’s having taken place, though it was cited by the Old Rugbeian Society in an 1897 report on the origins of the game. Nevertheless, Rugby School, whose name has been given to the sport, was pivotal in the development of rugby football, and the first rules of the game that became rugby union football were established there in 1845.\n\nRugby is now a popular sport in many countries of the world, with clubs and national teams found in places as [diverse](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/diverse) as Japan, [Côte d’Ivoire](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Cote-dIvoire), Georgia, Uruguay, and Spain. Rugby among women is one of the world’s fastest-growing [sports](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/sports). At the turn of the 21st century, the International Rugby Board (IRB; founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board), headquartered in [Dublin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Dublin), boasted more than 100 [affiliated](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/affiliated) national unions, though at the top level the sport was still dominated by the traditional rugby powers of Australia, England, [France](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/France), [Ireland](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Ireland), [New Zealand](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/New-Zealand), Scotland, [South Africa](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/South-Africa), and Wales.\n\n## History\n## Origins\nDifferent forms of football have existed for centuries. (For more on the development of football sports, *see* [football](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/football-the-games).) In [Britain](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/United-Kingdom), football games may have been played as early as the time of Roman occupation in the 1st century bce. During the 14th and 15th centuries ce, [Shrove Tuesday](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Shrove-Tuesday) football matches became annual traditions in local [communities](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/communities), and many of these games continued well into the 19th century. These localized versions of [folk football](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/folk-football) (a violent sport distinctive for its large teams and lack of rules) gradually found favour within the English public (independent) schools, where they were modified and adapted into one of two forms: a dribbling game, played primarily with the feet, that was promoted at Eton and Harrow, and a handling game favoured by Rugby, Marlborough, and Cheltenham.\n\nGame playing, particularly football, was encouraged at [Rugby School](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Rugby-School) by influential headmaster [Thomas Arnold](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Thomas-Arnold) (1828–42), and many boys educated at this time were instrumental in the expansion of the game. Rugby football soon became one of the most significant sports in the promotion of English and, later, British imperial manliness. The game’s virtues were promoted by books such as [Thomas Hughes’s](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Thomas-Hughes) *[Tom Brown’s School Days](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Tom-Browns-School-Days)* (1857). The cult of manliness that resulted centred on the public schools and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, where boys were sent to learn how to become young gentlemen. Part of the schoolboy’s training was a commitment to [arduous](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/arduous) [physical activity](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/physical-activity), and, by the late 19th century, rugby and [cricket](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/cricket-sport) had become the leading sports that developed the “civilized” manly behaviour of the elite. It was believed that rugby football instilled in the “muscular Christian” gentleman the values of unselfishness, fearlessness, teamwork, and self-control. Graduates of these public schools and of Oxford and Cambridge formed the first football clubs, which led to the institutionalization of rugby.\n\nOnce they had left school, many young men wanted to continue playing the game of their youth, and the early annual matches between [alumni](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/alumni) and current senior students were not enough to satisfy these players. Football clubs were formed in the mid-19th century, with one of the very first rugby clubs appearing at Blackheath in 1858. Rugby enthusiasm also spread rapidly to Ireland and Scotland, with a club founded at the [University of Dublin](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/University-of-Dublin) in 1854 and the formation by the Old Boys of Edinburgh of the Edinburgh Academicals Rugby Football Club in 1858. In 1863 the tradition of club matches began in England with Blackheath playing Richmond.\n\n[![Volleyball match](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/08\/190908-131-A6B6D47D\/Volleyball-match.jpg) Britannica Quiz Sports Fun Facts Quiz](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/quiz\/sports-fun-facts-quiz)\n\nRepresentatives of several leading football clubs met in 1863 to try to devise a common set of rules for football. Disputes arose over handling the ball and “hacking,” the term given to the tactics of tripping an opponent and kicking his shins. Both handling and hacking were allowed under rugby’s rules but disallowed in other forms of football. Led by F.W. Campbell of Blackheath, the rugby men refused to budge over hacking, calling those against the practice “unmanly.” Though Campbell’s group was in the minority, it refused to agree to the rules established for the new [Football Association](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Football-Association) (FA) even though many elements of rugby rules were included in early [compromises](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/compromises). Ultimately, rugby was left outside the FA. Despite the initial reluctance to abandon hacking, rugby clubs began to abolish the practice during the late 1860s. Blackheath banned it in 1865, and Richmond supported a similar prohibition in 1866.\n\nRugby received bad publicity after a Richmond player was killed in a practice match in 1871, prompting leading clubs to respond to Richmond and Blackheath’s call for an organizational meeting. Thus, in 1871 members of leading rugby clubs met to form the [Rugby Football Union](https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Rugby-Football-Union) (RFU), which became the governing body for the sport. By this time, hacking had largely disappeared from club rugby, though it remained a part of the game’s “character building” qualities at Rugby School. As a result of its continued [adherence](https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/adherence) to the practice, Rugby School did not join the RFU until 1890.\n\nSmart, reliable knowledge for professionals, students, and curious minds everywhere.\n\n[SUBSCRIBE](https:\/\/premium.britannica.com\/premium-membership\/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=smart-2026)\n\n![Penguin, ship, mountain, atlas](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-left.webp)\n\n![shohei ohtani, plants, andy wharhol art](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-right.webp)\n\n![Mobile](https:\/\/cdn.britannica.com\/marketing\/inline-mobile.webp?w=400)","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

3 hours ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup
Last Crawled	2026-04-14 09:04:38 (3 hours ago)
First Indexed	2017-01-08 21:32:28 (9 years ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Rugby Union World Cup \| International, Nations & Teams \| Britannica
Meta Description	Rugby Union World Cup, quadrennial union-rules rugby competition that is the sport’s premier international contest. The first Rugby World Cup competition organized by the International Rugby Board (IRB) was held in 1987 in New Zealand and Australia and was a popular and financial success. It was
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Top Questions What are the origins of rugby football? How did rugby spread internationally? What is the difference between rugby union and rugby league? What is the significance of the All Blacks in New Zealand? rugby , football game played with an oval ball by two teams of 15 players (in rugby union play) or 13 players (in rugby league play). Both rugby union and rugby league have their origins in the style of football played at Rugby School in England. According to the sport’s lore, in 1823 William Webb Ellis, a pupil at Rugby School, defied the conventions of the day (that the ball may only be kicked forward) to pick up the ball and run with it in a game, thus creating the distinct handling game of rugby football. This “historical” basis of the game was well established by the early 1900s, about the same time that foundation myths were invented for baseball and Australian rules football . While it is known that Webb Ellis was a student at Rugby School at the time, there is no direct evidence of the actual event’s having taken place, though it was cited by the Old Rugbeian Society in an 1897 report on the origins of the game. Nevertheless, Rugby School, whose name has been given to the sport, was pivotal in the development of rugby football, and the first rules of the game that became rugby union football were established there in 1845. Rugby is now a popular sport in many countries of the world, with clubs and national teams found in places as diverse as Japan, Côte d’Ivoire , Georgia, Uruguay, and Spain. Rugby among women is one of the world’s fastest-growing sports . At the turn of the 21st century, the International Rugby Board (IRB; founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board), headquartered in Dublin , boasted more than 100 affiliated national unions, though at the top level the sport was still dominated by the traditional rugby powers of Australia, England, France , Ireland , New Zealand , Scotland, South Africa , and Wales. History Origins Different forms of football have existed for centuries. (For more on the development of football sports, see football .) In Britain , football games may have been played as early as the time of Roman occupation in the 1st century bce . During the 14th and 15th centuries ce , Shrove Tuesday football matches became annual traditions in local communities , and many of these games continued well into the 19th century. These localized versions of folk football (a violent sport distinctive for its large teams and lack of rules) gradually found favour within the English public (independent) schools, where they were modified and adapted into one of two forms: a dribbling game, played primarily with the feet, that was promoted at Eton and Harrow, and a handling game favoured by Rugby, Marlborough, and Cheltenham. Game playing, particularly football, was encouraged at Rugby School by influential headmaster Thomas Arnold (1828–42), and many boys educated at this time were instrumental in the expansion of the game. Rugby football soon became one of the most significant sports in the promotion of English and, later, British imperial manliness. The game’s virtues were promoted by books such as Thomas Hughes’s Tom Brown’s School Days (1857). The cult of manliness that resulted centred on the public schools and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, where boys were sent to learn how to become young gentlemen. Part of the schoolboy’s training was a commitment to arduous physical activity , and, by the late 19th century, rugby and cricket had become the leading sports that developed the “civilized” manly behaviour of the elite. It was believed that rugby football instilled in the “muscular Christian” gentleman the values of unselfishness, fearlessness, teamwork, and self-control. Graduates of these public schools and of Oxford and Cambridge formed the first football clubs, which led to the institutionalization of rugby. Once they had left school, many young men wanted to continue playing the game of their youth, and the early annual matches between alumni and current senior students were not enough to satisfy these players. Football clubs were formed in the mid-19th century, with one of the very first rugby clubs appearing at Blackheath in 1858. Rugby enthusiasm also spread rapidly to Ireland and Scotland, with a club founded at the University of Dublin in 1854 and the formation by the Old Boys of Edinburgh of the Edinburgh Academicals Rugby Football Club in 1858. In 1863 the tradition of club matches began in England with Blackheath playing Richmond. Britannica Quiz Sports Fun Facts Quiz Representatives of several leading football clubs met in 1863 to try to devise a common set of rules for football. Disputes arose over handling the ball and “ hacking,” the term given to the tactics of tripping an opponent and kicking his shins. Both handling and hacking were allowed under rugby’s rules but disallowed in other forms of football. Led by F.W. Campbell of Blackheath, the rugby men refused to budge over hacking, calling those against the practice “unmanly.” Though Campbell’s group was in the minority, it refused to agree to the rules established for the new Football Association (FA) even though many elements of rugby rules were included in early compromises . Ultimately, rugby was left outside the FA. Despite the initial reluctance to abandon hacking, rugby clubs began to abolish the practice during the late 1860s. Blackheath banned it in 1865, and Richmond supported a similar prohibition in 1866. Rugby received bad publicity after a Richmond player was killed in a practice match in 1871, prompting leading clubs to respond to Richmond and Blackheath’s call for an organizational meeting. Thus, in 1871 members of leading rugby clubs met to form the Rugby Football Union (RFU), which became the governing body for the sport. By this time, hacking had largely disappeared from club rugby, though it remained a part of the game’s “character building” qualities at Rugby School. As a result of its continued adherence to the practice, Rugby School did not join the RFU until 1890. Smart, reliable knowledge for professionals, students, and curious minds everywhere. SUBSCRIBE
Markdown	[![Encyclopedia Britannica](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png)](https://www.britannica.com/) [![Encyclopedia Britannica](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png)](https://www.britannica.com/) [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav&utm_campaign=blue-evergreen) [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav-mobile&utm_campaign=blue-evergreen) Login https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm\_source=premium\&utm\_medium=nav-login-box\&utm\_campaign=evergreen [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=hamburger-menu&utm_campaign=blue) [Ask the Chatbot](https://www.britannica.com/chatbot) [Games & Quizzes](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/browse) [History & Society](https://www.britannica.com/History-Society) [Science & Tech](https://www.britannica.com/Science-Tech) [Biographies](https://www.britannica.com/Biographies) [Animals & Nature](https://www.britannica.com/Animals-Nature) [Geography & Travel](https://www.britannica.com/Geography-Travel) [Arts & Culture](https://www.britannica.com/Arts-Culture) [ProCon](https://www.britannica.com/procon) [Money](https://www.britannica.com/money) [Videos](https://www.britannica.com/videos) [Rugby Union World Cup](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup) [Introduction](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup) [References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup/additional-info) [Quick Facts & Related Topics](https://www.britannica.com/facts/Rugby-Union-World-Cup) [Images & Videos](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup/images-videos) [![2007 Rugby Union World Cup final match](https://cdn.britannica.com/55/110955-004-C3793AEB/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/55/110955-050-D1EBFD2F/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg) [![Who actually invented rugby?](https://cdn.britannica.com/29/239229-138-EC42AD19/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb/-280705) [![Jonah Lomu](https://cdn.britannica.com/76/188076-004-525C8C8F/Jonah-Lomu-semifinal-match-New-Zealand-All-1995.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/76/188076-050-04254503/Jonah-Lomu-semifinal-match-New-Zealand-All-1995.jpg) Quizzes [![Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.](https://cdn.britannica.com/52/139052-131-7A7975D1/Balls-shapes-colors-sizes-sports.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/american-sports-nicknames) [American Sports Nicknames](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/american-sports-nicknames) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Contents Ask Anything [Sports & Recreation](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Sports-Recreation) [Other Sports](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Other-Sports) CITE Share Feedback External Websites [![2007 Rugby Union World Cup final match](https://cdn.britannica.com/55/110955-050-D1EBFD2F/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop)](https://cdn.britannica.com/55/110955-050-D1EBFD2F/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg) [2007 Rugby Union World Cup final match](https://cdn.britannica.com/55/110955-050-D1EBFD2F/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg) South Africa's Francois Steyn (center) running with the ball during the 2007 Rugby Union World Cup final match. (more) # Rugby Union World Cup rugby competition Homework Help Also known as: Rugby World Cup Written and fact-checked by [Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419) Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 11, 2026 •[History](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup/additional-info#history) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything ## News • [Ellie Kildunne: England full-back felt 'really alone' after World Cup win](https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/c1kr49lxmmvo) • Apr. 8, 2026, 2:01 AM ET (BBC) ...(Show more) [Flyhalf O'Connor targeting Wallabies recall](https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/flyhalf-oconnor-targeting-wallabies-recall) • Mar. 27, 2026, 3:22 AM ET (Straits Times) [Red Roses: Seven uncapped players in England's Women's Six Nations squad](https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/clyjgnyr792o) • Mar. 20, 2026, 5:05 AM ET (BBC) [Rugby World Cup 2035: Argentina make case for first South American edition](https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/c9q5q1l08gdo) • Mar. 18, 2026, 9:12 AM ET (BBC) [Shaun Edwards has 'ambition to win a Rugby Championship'](https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/c8jx4dyewjzo) • Mar. 17, 2026, 6:16 AM ET (BBC) Show less Rugby Union World Cup, quadrennial union-rules [rugby](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby) competition that is the sport’s premier international contest. The first Rugby World Cup competition organized by the International Rugby Board (IRB) was held in 1987 in [New Zealand](https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Zealand) and [Australia](https://www.britannica.com/place/Australia) and was a popular and financial success. It was staged four years after a failed attempt to launch a global “rebel” (that is, outside the control of the IRB) professional championship. The 1991 [World Cup](https://www.britannica.com/sports/World-Cup-golf), held in the United Kingdom, [Ireland](https://www.britannica.com/place/Ireland), and [France](https://www.britannica.com/place/France) and won by Australia, had confirmed its place as a major international sporting festival. By the early 21st century, the Rugby World Cup could claim to be the third largest international televised sporting event as the tournament reached over 200 countries and some 4 billion viewers. Also called: Rugby World Cup (Show more) Related Topics: [rugby](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby) (Show more) Notable Honorees: [François Pienaar](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Francois-Pienaar) [Joost van der Westhuizen](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joost-van-der-Westhuizen) (Show more) [See all related content](https://www.britannica.com/facts/Rugby-Union-World-Cup) [![Who actually invented rugby?](https://cdn.britannica.com/29/239229-138-EC42AD19/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb/-280705) Who actually invented rugby?Rugby has its origins in 19th-century England. (more) [See all videos for this article](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup/images-videos) Results of the Rugby Union World Cup are provided in the table. [![Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.](https://cdn.britannica.com/52/139052-131-7A7975D1/Balls-shapes-colors-sizes-sports.jpg) Britannica Quiz American Sports Nicknames](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/american-sports-nicknames) \| year \| result \| \| \| \| \|---\|---\|---\|---\|---\| \| 1987 \| New Zealand \| 29 \| France \| 9 \| \| 1991 \| Australia \| 12 \| England \| 6 \| \| 1995 \| South Africa \| 15 \| New Zealand \| 12 \| \| 1999 \| Australia \| 35 \| France \| 12 \| \| 2003 \| England \| 20 \| Australia \| 17 \| \| 2007 \| South Africa \| 15 \| England \| 6 \| \| 2011 \| New Zealand \| 8 \| France \| 7 \| \| 2015 \| New Zealand \| 34 \| Australia \| 17 \| \| 2019 \| South Africa \| 32 \| England \| 12 \| \| 2023 \| South Africa \| 12 \| New Zealand \| 11 \| [The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419) This article was most recently revised and updated by [Tracy Grant](https://www.britannica.com/editor/tracy-grant/12854611). ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)Britannica AI chevron\_right Rugby Union World Cup close [AI-generated answers](https://www.britannica.com/about-britannica-ai) from Britannica articles. AI makes mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. [rugby](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby) - [Introduction & Top Questions](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby) - [History](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby#ref29651) - [Origins](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby#ref29652) - [The growth of the game](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/The-growth-of-the-game) - [Northern Hemisphere](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261296) - [Northern England and the split](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261297) - [Wales](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261298) - [France](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261299) - [Italy](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261300) - [Canada and the United States](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261301) - [Southern Hemisphere](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/The-growth-of-the-game#ref261302) - [Australia](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Australia) - [New Zealand](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Australia#ref261304) - [South Africa](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Australia#ref261305) - [Other countries](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Australia#ref261306) - [The modern era](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Australia#ref29655) - [Organization and competition](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Organization-and-competition) - [Rugby union](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Organization-and-competition#ref29657) - [Rugby league](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Rugby-league) - [Rugby sevens](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Rugby-league#ref261307) - [Women and rugby](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Rugby-league#ref261308) - [Play of the game](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Rugby-league#ref29659) - [Field of play and equipment](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Rugby-league#ref29660) - [Principles of play](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Principles-of-play) - [Scoring](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Principles-of-play#ref261309) - [Positions](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Principles-of-play#ref261310) - [Backs](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Principles-of-play#ref261311) - [Forwards](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/Principles-of-play#ref261312) [References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/additional-info) [Quick Facts & Related Topics](https://www.britannica.com/facts/rugby) [Images & Videos](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/images-videos) [![Rugby World Cup Final, 2019](https://cdn.britannica.com/27/222727-004-BB09D693/South-Africa-and-England-Rugby-World-Cup-2019-Final-Yokohama-Japan.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/27/222727-050-5CDE94F8/South-Africa-and-England-Rugby-World-Cup-2019-Final-Yokohama-Japan.jpg) [![How to play rugby](https://cdn.britannica.com/27/180027-138-560148F7/Overview-rugby.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/Overview-rugby/-192017) [![Who actually invented rugby?](https://cdn.britannica.com/29/239229-138-EC42AD19/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb/-280705) [![Australia, on the move](https://cdn.britannica.com/05/252805-004-EBB11CCE/Billy-Slater-Rugby-League-World-Cup-2013.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/05/252805-050-D3E6DBF9/Billy-Slater-Rugby-League-World-Cup-2013.jpg) [![Ceremonial dance](https://cdn.britannica.com/90/273690-004-89B0EF6D/new-zealand-all-blacks-rugby-haka-november-2024.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/90/273690-050-660812DE/new-zealand-all-blacks-rugby-haka-november-2024.jpg) [![A beginner's guide to rugby](https://cdn.britannica.com/33/179933-138-325F835D/basics-rugby.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/basics-rugby/-193479) [![Rugby playing field](https://cdn.britannica.com/84/4384-004-B1123C96/Rugby-playing-field-goals-divisions.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/84/4384-004-B1123C96/Rugby-playing-field-goals-divisions.jpg) [![Players in position for a scrummage](https://cdn.britannica.com/85/4385-004-342380CF/Players-position-scrummage-Positions-players-line-out-ball.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/85/4385-050-D2BA9286/Players-position-scrummage-Positions-players-line-out-ball.jpg) [![Wales-England rugby match](https://cdn.britannica.com/46/26146-004-1FB347E4/Home-Union-teams-binding-England-Wales-line-out-1986.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/46/26146-050-C85E2CCD/Home-Union-teams-binding-England-Wales-line-out-1986.jpg) [![2007 Rugby Union World Cup final match](https://cdn.britannica.com/55/110955-004-C3793AEB/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg)](https://cdn.britannica.com/55/110955-050-D1EBFD2F/South-Africa-Francois-Steyn-ball-match-Rugby-2007.jpg) At a Glance [![default image](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/shared/new-thistle.svg?v=3.179.9)](https://www.britannica.com/summary/rugby) [rugby summary](https://www.britannica.com/summary/rugby) Quizzes [![Cricket bat and ball. cricket sport of cricket.Homepage blog 2011, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics](https://cdn.britannica.com/47/148847-131-607DD61C/Cricket-bat-ball.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/sports-quiz) [Sports Quiz](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/sports-quiz) [![Men fencing (sport; swordplay; sword)](https://cdn.britannica.com/07/171007-131-F777FC60/Men-fencing.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/sports-season) [Sports Season](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/sports-season) [![Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.](https://cdn.britannica.com/52/139052-131-7A7975D1/Balls-shapes-colors-sizes-sports.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/american-sports-nicknames) [American Sports Nicknames](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/american-sports-nicknames) [![Volleyball match](https://cdn.britannica.com/08/190908-131-A6B6D47D/Volleyball-match.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/sports-fun-facts-quiz) [Sports Fun Facts Quiz](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/sports-fun-facts-quiz) Related Questions - [What are the main types of sports that involve ice skating?](https://www.britannica.com/question/What-are-the-main-types-of-sports-that-involve-ice-skating) - [What is the age limit for competitive figure skating?](https://www.britannica.com/question/What-is-the-age-limit-for-competitive-figure-skating) - [What is double-touching in curling?](https://www.britannica.com/question/What-is-double-touching-in-curling) - [How is curling scored in the Olympics?](https://www.britannica.com/question/How-is-curling-scored-in-the-Olympics) - [What is the main objective of curling?](https://www.britannica.com/question/What-is-the-main-objective-of-curling) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Ask Anything Quick Summary [Sports & Recreation](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Sports-Recreation) [Other Sports](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Other-Sports) CITE Share Feedback External Websites [![Rugby World Cup Final, 2019](https://cdn.britannica.com/27/222727-050-5CDE94F8/South-Africa-and-England-Rugby-World-Cup-2019-Final-Yokohama-Japan.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop)](https://cdn.britannica.com/27/222727-050-5CDE94F8/South-Africa-and-England-Rugby-World-Cup-2019-Final-Yokohama-Japan.jpg) [Rugby World Cup Final, 2019](https://cdn.britannica.com/27/222727-050-5CDE94F8/South-Africa-and-England-Rugby-World-Cup-2019-Final-Yokohama-Japan.jpg) Willie Le Roux of South Africa runs with the ball under pressure from Owen Farrell (L) and George Ford of England during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Final between England and South Africa. (more) # rugby sport Homework Help Also known as: rugger Written by [John Nauright Professor of Sport Management, George Mason University. Co-author of Rugby and the South African Nation and Making Men: Rugby and Masculine Identity.](https://www.britannica.com/contributor/John-Nauright/5307) John Nauright Fact-checked by [Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419) Britannica Editors [History](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/additional-info#history) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9) Britannica AI Ask Anything Quick Summary Table of Contents Table of Contents Quick Summary Ask Anything Top Questions ### What are the origins of rugby football? Rugby football originated from the style of football played at Rugby School in England. It is said to have started in 1823 when William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran with it, creating rugby football. The first rules were established at Rugby School in 1845. ### How did rugby spread internationally? Rugby spread from England to other parts of the British Empire, including Ireland, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It also reached North America, France, Italy, and other countries, becoming a popular sport worldwide. ### What is the difference between rugby union and rugby league? [Rugby union](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup) is played with 15 players per team, while [rugby league](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-League-World-Cup) has 13. Rugby union allows for indefinite possession, whereas rugby league limits possession to six tackles. The scoring system and some rules differ between the two codes. ### What is the significance of the All Blacks in New Zealand? The [All Blacks](https://www.britannica.com/topic/All-Blacks) are New Zealand’s national rugby team, known for their black uniforms. They are a symbol of national pride and identity, performing the [haka](https://www.britannica.com/art/haka) before matches, which is a traditional [Māori](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Maori) war dance and chant. [![How to play rugby](https://cdn.britannica.com/27/180027-138-560148F7/Overview-rugby.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/Overview-rugby/-192017) How to play rugbyOverview of rugby. (more) [See all videos for this article](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/images-videos) rugby, [football](https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-the-games) game played with an oval [ball](https://www.britannica.com/sports/ball-sports) by two teams of 15 players (in rugby union play) or 13 players (in rugby league play). Both rugby union and rugby league have their origins in the style of football played at Rugby School in England. According to the sport’s lore, in 1823 William Webb Ellis, a pupil at Rugby School, defied the conventions of the day (that the ball may only be kicked forward) to pick up the ball and run with it in a game, thus creating the distinct handling game of rugby football. This “historical” basis of the game was well established by the early 1900s, about the same time that foundation [myths](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/myths) were invented for [baseball](https://www.britannica.com/sports/baseball) and [Australian rules football](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Australian-rules-football). While it is known that Webb Ellis was a student at Rugby School at the time, there is no direct evidence of the actual event’s having taken place, though it was cited by the Old Rugbeian Society in an 1897 report on the origins of the game. Nevertheless, Rugby School, whose name has been given to the sport, was pivotal in the development of rugby football, and the first rules of the game that became rugby union football were established there in 1845. [![Who actually invented rugby?](https://cdn.britannica.com/29/239229-138-EC42AD19/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop)](https://www.britannica.com/video/history-rugby-sport-William-Webb/-280705) Who actually invented rugby?Rugby has its origins in 19th-century England. (more) [See all videos for this article](https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby/images-videos) Rugby is now a popular sport in many countries of the world, with clubs and national teams found in places as [diverse](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diverse) as Japan, [Côte d’Ivoire](https://www.britannica.com/place/Cote-dIvoire), Georgia, Uruguay, and Spain. Rugby among women is one of the world’s fastest-growing [sports](https://www.britannica.com/sports/sports). At the turn of the 21st century, the International Rugby Board (IRB; founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board), headquartered in [Dublin](https://www.britannica.com/place/Dublin), boasted more than 100 [affiliated](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affiliated) national unions, though at the top level the sport was still dominated by the traditional rugby powers of Australia, England, [France](https://www.britannica.com/place/France), [Ireland](https://www.britannica.com/place/Ireland), [New Zealand](https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Zealand), Scotland, [South Africa](https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Africa), and Wales. ## History ## Origins Different forms of football have existed for centuries. (For more on the development of football sports, see [football](https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-the-games).) In [Britain](https://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom), football games may have been played as early as the time of Roman occupation in the 1st century bce. During the 14th and 15th centuries ce, [Shrove Tuesday](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Shrove-Tuesday) football matches became annual traditions in local [communities](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communities), and many of these games continued well into the 19th century. These localized versions of [folk football](https://www.britannica.com/sports/folk-football) (a violent sport distinctive for its large teams and lack of rules) gradually found favour within the English public (independent) schools, where they were modified and adapted into one of two forms: a dribbling game, played primarily with the feet, that was promoted at Eton and Harrow, and a handling game favoured by Rugby, Marlborough, and Cheltenham. Game playing, particularly football, was encouraged at [Rugby School](https://www.britannica.com/place/Rugby-School) by influential headmaster [Thomas Arnold](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Arnold) (1828–42), and many boys educated at this time were instrumental in the expansion of the game. Rugby football soon became one of the most significant sports in the promotion of English and, later, British imperial manliness. The game’s virtues were promoted by books such as [Thomas Hughes’s](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Hughes) [Tom Brown’s School Days](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tom-Browns-School-Days) (1857). The cult of manliness that resulted centred on the public schools and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, where boys were sent to learn how to become young gentlemen. Part of the schoolboy’s training was a commitment to [arduous](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arduous) [physical activity](https://www.britannica.com/topic/physical-activity), and, by the late 19th century, rugby and [cricket](https://www.britannica.com/sports/cricket-sport) had become the leading sports that developed the “civilized” manly behaviour of the elite. It was believed that rugby football instilled in the “muscular Christian” gentleman the values of unselfishness, fearlessness, teamwork, and self-control. Graduates of these public schools and of Oxford and Cambridge formed the first football clubs, which led to the institutionalization of rugby. Once they had left school, many young men wanted to continue playing the game of their youth, and the early annual matches between [alumni](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/alumni) and current senior students were not enough to satisfy these players. Football clubs were formed in the mid-19th century, with one of the very first rugby clubs appearing at Blackheath in 1858. Rugby enthusiasm also spread rapidly to Ireland and Scotland, with a club founded at the [University of Dublin](https://www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-Dublin) in 1854 and the formation by the Old Boys of Edinburgh of the Edinburgh Academicals Rugby Football Club in 1858. In 1863 the tradition of club matches began in England with Blackheath playing Richmond. [![Volleyball match](https://cdn.britannica.com/08/190908-131-A6B6D47D/Volleyball-match.jpg) Britannica Quiz Sports Fun Facts Quiz](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/sports-fun-facts-quiz) Representatives of several leading football clubs met in 1863 to try to devise a common set of rules for football. Disputes arose over handling the ball and “hacking,” the term given to the tactics of tripping an opponent and kicking his shins. Both handling and hacking were allowed under rugby’s rules but disallowed in other forms of football. Led by F.W. Campbell of Blackheath, the rugby men refused to budge over hacking, calling those against the practice “unmanly.” Though Campbell’s group was in the minority, it refused to agree to the rules established for the new [Football Association](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Football-Association) (FA) even though many elements of rugby rules were included in early [compromises](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/compromises). Ultimately, rugby was left outside the FA. Despite the initial reluctance to abandon hacking, rugby clubs began to abolish the practice during the late 1860s. Blackheath banned it in 1865, and Richmond supported a similar prohibition in 1866. Key People: [Richie McCaw](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richie-McCaw) [George Nēpia](https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Nepia) [Danie Craven](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Danie-Craven) [Jacques Rogge](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacques-Rogge) [Tony O’Reilly](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tony-OReilly) (Show more) Related Topics: [Currie Cup](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Currie-Cup-rugby-trophy) [Ranfurly Shield](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Ranfurly-Shield) [scrum](https://www.britannica.com/sports/scrum) [try](https://www.britannica.com/sports/try) [seven-a-side rugby](https://www.britannica.com/sports/seven-a-side-rugby) (Show more) [See all related content](https://www.britannica.com/facts/rugby) Rugby received bad publicity after a Richmond player was killed in a practice match in 1871, prompting leading clubs to respond to Richmond and Blackheath’s call for an organizational meeting. Thus, in 1871 members of leading rugby clubs met to form the [Rugby Football Union](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rugby-Football-Union) (RFU), which became the governing body for the sport. By this time, hacking had largely disappeared from club rugby, though it remained a part of the game’s “character building” qualities at Rugby School. As a result of its continued [adherence](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adherence) to the practice, Rugby School did not join the RFU until 1890. Explore Britannica Premium\! Smart, reliable knowledge for professionals, students, and curious minds everywhere. [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=smart-2026) ![Penguin, ship, mountain, atlas](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-left.webp) ![shohei ohtani, plants, andy wharhol art](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-right.webp) ![Mobile](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-mobile.webp?w=400) ![Britannica AI Icon](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-179/images/chatbot/star-ai.svg?v=3.179.9)Britannica AI chevron\_right Rugby close [AI-generated answers](https://www.britannica.com/about-britannica-ai) from Britannica articles. AI makes mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. Load Next Page Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style Britannica Editors. "Rugby Union World Cup". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Apr. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup. Accessed 14 April 2026. Copy Citation Share Share to social media [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/) [X](https://x.com/britannica) URL <https://www.britannica.com/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup> External Websites - [CNN Sports - Everything you need to know ahead of the Rugby World Cup](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/09/07/sport/rugby-world-cup-preview-how-to-watch-spt-intl) - [Official Site of Rugby World Cup](https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/) Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. print Print Please select which sections you would like to print: verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style Nauright, John. "rugby". Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Sep. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby. Accessed 14 April 2026. Copy Citation Share Share to social media [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/) [X](https://x.com/britannica) URL <https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby> External Websites - [RugbyFootballHistory.com - Origins of Rugby](https://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/originsofrugby.htm) - [World Rugby - History of rugby in the Olympics](https://www.world.rugby/tournaments/olympics/history) - [Journal of Sports Science and Nutrition - Origin and evolution of rugby: A global perspective (PDF)](https://www.allsportsjournal.com/article/36/1-2-27-931.pdf) - [Frontiers - Editorial: Performance enhancement in rugby](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1212390/full) - [Wayne State College - What is Rugby?](https://www.wsc.edu/info/20165/rugby_club/707/what_is_rugby/) - [Historic UK - History of Rugby Football](https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/History-of-Rugby-Football/) - [World Rugby - Rugby Olympic history](https://www.world.rugby/tournaments/olympics/history) Britannica Websites Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. - [rugby - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)](https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/rugby/353732) - [rugby - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)](https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/rugby/276810)
Readable Markdown	Top Questions ### What are the origins of rugby football? ### How did rugby spread internationally? ### What is the difference between rugby union and rugby league? ### What is the significance of the All Blacks in New Zealand? rugby, [football](https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-the-games) game played with an oval [ball](https://www.britannica.com/sports/ball-sports) by two teams of 15 players (in rugby union play) or 13 players (in rugby league play). Both rugby union and rugby league have their origins in the style of football played at Rugby School in England. According to the sport’s lore, in 1823 William Webb Ellis, a pupil at Rugby School, defied the conventions of the day (that the ball may only be kicked forward) to pick up the ball and run with it in a game, thus creating the distinct handling game of rugby football. This “historical” basis of the game was well established by the early 1900s, about the same time that foundation [myths](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/myths) were invented for [baseball](https://www.britannica.com/sports/baseball) and [Australian rules football](https://www.britannica.com/sports/Australian-rules-football). While it is known that Webb Ellis was a student at Rugby School at the time, there is no direct evidence of the actual event’s having taken place, though it was cited by the Old Rugbeian Society in an 1897 report on the origins of the game. Nevertheless, Rugby School, whose name has been given to the sport, was pivotal in the development of rugby football, and the first rules of the game that became rugby union football were established there in 1845. Rugby is now a popular sport in many countries of the world, with clubs and national teams found in places as [diverse](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diverse) as Japan, [Côte d’Ivoire](https://www.britannica.com/place/Cote-dIvoire), Georgia, Uruguay, and Spain. Rugby among women is one of the world’s fastest-growing [sports](https://www.britannica.com/sports/sports). At the turn of the 21st century, the International Rugby Board (IRB; founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board), headquartered in [Dublin](https://www.britannica.com/place/Dublin), boasted more than 100 [affiliated](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affiliated) national unions, though at the top level the sport was still dominated by the traditional rugby powers of Australia, England, [France](https://www.britannica.com/place/France), [Ireland](https://www.britannica.com/place/Ireland), [New Zealand](https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Zealand), Scotland, [South Africa](https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Africa), and Wales. ## History ## Origins Different forms of football have existed for centuries. (For more on the development of football sports, see [football](https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-the-games).) In [Britain](https://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom), football games may have been played as early as the time of Roman occupation in the 1st century bce. During the 14th and 15th centuries ce, [Shrove Tuesday](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Shrove-Tuesday) football matches became annual traditions in local [communities](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communities), and many of these games continued well into the 19th century. These localized versions of [folk football](https://www.britannica.com/sports/folk-football) (a violent sport distinctive for its large teams and lack of rules) gradually found favour within the English public (independent) schools, where they were modified and adapted into one of two forms: a dribbling game, played primarily with the feet, that was promoted at Eton and Harrow, and a handling game favoured by Rugby, Marlborough, and Cheltenham. Game playing, particularly football, was encouraged at [Rugby School](https://www.britannica.com/place/Rugby-School) by influential headmaster [Thomas Arnold](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Arnold) (1828–42), and many boys educated at this time were instrumental in the expansion of the game. Rugby football soon became one of the most significant sports in the promotion of English and, later, British imperial manliness. The game’s virtues were promoted by books such as [Thomas Hughes’s](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Hughes) [Tom Brown’s School Days](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tom-Browns-School-Days) (1857). The cult of manliness that resulted centred on the public schools and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, where boys were sent to learn how to become young gentlemen. Part of the schoolboy’s training was a commitment to [arduous](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arduous) [physical activity](https://www.britannica.com/topic/physical-activity), and, by the late 19th century, rugby and [cricket](https://www.britannica.com/sports/cricket-sport) had become the leading sports that developed the “civilized” manly behaviour of the elite. It was believed that rugby football instilled in the “muscular Christian” gentleman the values of unselfishness, fearlessness, teamwork, and self-control. Graduates of these public schools and of Oxford and Cambridge formed the first football clubs, which led to the institutionalization of rugby. Once they had left school, many young men wanted to continue playing the game of their youth, and the early annual matches between [alumni](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/alumni) and current senior students were not enough to satisfy these players. Football clubs were formed in the mid-19th century, with one of the very first rugby clubs appearing at Blackheath in 1858. Rugby enthusiasm also spread rapidly to Ireland and Scotland, with a club founded at the [University of Dublin](https://www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-Dublin) in 1854 and the formation by the Old Boys of Edinburgh of the Edinburgh Academicals Rugby Football Club in 1858. In 1863 the tradition of club matches began in England with Blackheath playing Richmond. [![Volleyball match](https://cdn.britannica.com/08/190908-131-A6B6D47D/Volleyball-match.jpg) Britannica Quiz Sports Fun Facts Quiz](https://www.britannica.com/quiz/sports-fun-facts-quiz) Representatives of several leading football clubs met in 1863 to try to devise a common set of rules for football. Disputes arose over handling the ball and “hacking,” the term given to the tactics of tripping an opponent and kicking his shins. Both handling and hacking were allowed under rugby’s rules but disallowed in other forms of football. Led by F.W. Campbell of Blackheath, the rugby men refused to budge over hacking, calling those against the practice “unmanly.” Though Campbell’s group was in the minority, it refused to agree to the rules established for the new [Football Association](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Football-Association) (FA) even though many elements of rugby rules were included in early [compromises](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/compromises). Ultimately, rugby was left outside the FA. Despite the initial reluctance to abandon hacking, rugby clubs began to abolish the practice during the late 1860s. Blackheath banned it in 1865, and Richmond supported a similar prohibition in 1866. Rugby received bad publicity after a Richmond player was killed in a practice match in 1871, prompting leading clubs to respond to Richmond and Blackheath’s call for an organizational meeting. Thus, in 1871 members of leading rugby clubs met to form the [Rugby Football Union](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rugby-Football-Union) (RFU), which became the governing body for the sport. By this time, hacking had largely disappeared from club rugby, though it remained a part of the game’s “character building” qualities at Rugby School. As a result of its continued [adherence](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adherence) to the practice, Rugby School did not join the RFU until 1890. Smart, reliable knowledge for professionals, students, and curious minds everywhere. [SUBSCRIBE](https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=smart-2026) ![Penguin, ship, mountain, atlas](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-left.webp) ![shohei ohtani, plants, andy wharhol art](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-right.webp) ![Mobile](https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/inline-mobile.webp?w=400)
Shard	62 (laksa)
Root Hash	5455945239613777662
Unparsed URL	com,britannica!www,/sports/Rugby-Union-World-Cup s443