Rugby · Level 9: Master · Sub-level 9.1
Origins
10 tests · 100 facts · updated 28 October 2026 · markdown
Rugby takes its name from Rugby School, in the Warwickshire town of Rugby. Its local football code, played by big sides, stood out for running with the ball. Old Rugbeians carried that game with them, first to Cambridge and then overseas, and the game grew from school to written rules, clubs and a union.
The best-known origin story is the Webb Ellis legend, which sets the first run with the ball in 1823. It was recorded long after the event, and the run itself is the least proven part. Webb Ellis became a Church of England clergyman and is buried in Menton. Pupils drafted the first written rules in 1845. Hacking was part of that early game, and the 'try' was literally a try at goal: at first only goals counted, and tries decided a match only when it was tied. In January 1871 twenty-one clubs met at the Pall Mall Restaurant and formed the RFU, the first national union, whose common code, written by Rugbeian lawyers, outlawed hacking. The same year Scotland beat England at Raeburn Place in the first international, played twenty a side.
The facts below also cover the clubs that grew after Blackheath walked out of the FA talks, the try's rise from three points in 1893 to four in 1971 and five in 1992, the International Board founded in 1886, the game's arrival in Nelson, Sydney and the Cape, and the ball's change from round pig's bladder to modern synthetic.
Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.
Test 1Rugby SchoolTake a test
Rugby is a town in Warwickshire.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
The school gave the game its name.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Local school codes.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Running with the ball.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Old Rugbeians took it with them.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Old boys took it to Cambridge.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Big sides, local laws.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
School, rules, clubs, union.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
School, university, then overseas.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
The school close.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 2The Webb Ellis legendTake a test
The Webb Ellis legend.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
The legend sets it in 1823.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Recorded long after the event.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
The Webb Ellis Cup.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
He was a Church of England clergyman.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
His grave is in Menton.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
The famous plaque wording.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
1823, 1872, 1876 and later, 1987.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
The run is the least proven.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
The 1823 legend.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 3The first written rulesTake a test
The first written rules, 1845.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Shared rules spread the game.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Pupils drafted them.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Hacking was part of the early game.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
The 'try' was a try at goal.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
The name's origin.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Goals counted, tries did not at first.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
1845, 1863, 1871, 1893.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Goals counted most.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
The 1845 rules.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 4Early clubsTake a test
Blackheath walked out of the FA talks.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
The codes split.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Matches were chaotic.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Educated old boys formed clubs.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Rail links grew fixtures.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Disputes were frequent.
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Captains settled disputes.
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1845, 1863, 1871.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Huge school sides, then twenty, then fifteen.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Early arguments.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 5The RFUTake a test
January 1871.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
At the Pall Mall Restaurant.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Twenty-one clubs.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
A common code.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Hacking was outlawed.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Rugbeian lawyers wrote them.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
First national union.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
1871, 1873, 1879, 1881.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
1871, 1886, 2014.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
January 1871.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 6The first internationalTake a test
Scotland v England, 1871.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Raeburn Place.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Scotland won.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Twenty a side.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
A challenge match.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
England v Ireland, 1877.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Open the game up.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
1871, 1875, 1881.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Twenty until 1877.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Raeburn Place 1871.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 7How scoring changedTake a test
Three points from 1893.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Four points from 1971.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Five points from 1992.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Encourage tries.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Two points.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Tries only counted in ties.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Drop goals dropped to three in 1948.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
1893, 1971, 1992.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
5, 3, 2.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Changing values.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 8The International BoardTake a test
A disputed try in 1884.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Founded 1886.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
England joined in 1890.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Disagreement over votes.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
England joined in 1890.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
IRB from 1998.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
World Rugby since 2014.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
1886, 1998, 2014.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
1886, 1890, 1948-49.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
England stayed out until 1890.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 9Rugby goes abroadTake a test
Nelson, 1870.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Monro introduced it in Nelson.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Sydney University Football Club.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Through the empire and schools.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Cape schools adopted it.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Grassroots spread.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Aussie rules in the south.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
1863, 1870, 1888.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
1871, 1870s-1890s, 1899.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Rugby spreads abroad.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Test 10The ballTake a test
Rounder, plum-shaped.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Pig's bladders were blown up.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
William Gilbert of Rugby.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
A better ball.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Modern synthetic balls.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Waterlogged leather.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Oval for handling.
Source: General rugby union reference · recall
Old to new.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Round to oval.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Ball history.
Source: General rugby union reference · applied
Questions people ask
- Why is the sport called rugby?
- It is named after Rugby School in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, whose own football code allowed players to run with the ball. Old Rugbeians then spread that game to universities, clubs and other countries.
- Did Webb Ellis really invent rugby?
- The legend sets his run with the ball in 1823, but it was recorded long after the event and the run is the least proven part of the story. The World Cup trophy is still named the Webb Ellis Cup.
- When were the first written rules of rugby drawn up?
- Pupils at Rugby School drafted them in 1845. Shared written rules then helped the game spread beyond the school.
- Why is a try called a try?
- A touchdown originally earned only a try at goal, the chance to kick for the goal that actually counted. Tries were used to settle a match only when the goals were level.
- When and where was the Rugby Football Union founded?
- In January 1871, when twenty-one clubs met at the Pall Mall Restaurant. It was the first national rugby union, and its common code outlawed hacking.
- When was the first rugby international played?
- Scotland played England in 1871 at Raeburn Place, and Scotland won. Teams were twenty a side until 1877.
- How many points has a try been worth over time?
- A try was worth three points from 1893, four from 1971 and five from 1992, each increase meant to encourage try-scoring.
- Why is a rugby ball oval?
- Early balls were rounder and plum-shaped, made from blown-up pig's bladders. William Gilbert of Rugby made a better ball, and the oval shape suits a game played in the hands.
Sources
World Rugby handbooks and coaching material, union and competition records; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered Laws belong to the Laws category.
- General rugby union reference100