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Rugby · Level 9: Master · Sub-level 9.1

Origins

10 tests · 100 facts · updated 28 October 2026 · markdown

Where rugby came from: football at Rugby School, the Webb Ellis legend, the first written rules, early clubs, the RFU, the first international, how scoring changed, the International Rugby Football Board, rugby spreading abroad and the ball itself.

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

  1. Rugby is a town in Warwickshire.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  2. The school gave the game its name.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  3. Local school codes.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  4. Running with the ball.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  5. Old Rugbeians took it with them.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  6. Old boys took it to Cambridge.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  7. Big sides, local laws.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  8. School, rules, clubs, union.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  9. School, university, then overseas.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  10. The school close.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

Test 2The Webb Ellis legendTake a test

  1. The Webb Ellis legend.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  2. The legend sets it in 1823.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  3. Recorded long after the event.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  4. The Webb Ellis Cup.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  5. He was a Church of England clergyman.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  6. His grave is in Menton.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  7. The famous plaque wording.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  8. 1823, 1872, 1876 and later, 1987.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  9. The run is the least proven.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  10. The 1823 legend.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

Test 3The first written rulesTake a test

  1. The first written rules, 1845.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  2. Shared rules spread the game.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  3. Pupils drafted them.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  4. Hacking was part of the early game.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  5. The 'try' was a try at goal.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  6. The name's origin.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  7. Goals counted, tries did not at first.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  8. 1845, 1863, 1871, 1893.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  9. Goals counted most.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  10. The 1845 rules.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

Test 4Early clubsTake a test

  1. Blackheath walked out of the FA talks.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  2. The codes split.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  3. Matches were chaotic.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  4. Educated old boys formed clubs.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  5. Rail links grew fixtures.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  6. Disputes were frequent.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  7. Captains settled disputes.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  8. 1845, 1863, 1871.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  9. Huge school sides, then twenty, then fifteen.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  10. Early arguments.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

Test 5The RFUTake a test

  1. January 1871.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  2. At the Pall Mall Restaurant.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  3. Twenty-one clubs.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  4. A common code.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  5. Hacking was outlawed.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  6. Rugbeian lawyers wrote them.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  7. First national union.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  8. 1871, 1873, 1879, 1881.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  9. 1871, 1886, 2014.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  10. January 1871.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

Test 6The first internationalTake a test

  1. Scotland v England, 1871.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  2. Raeburn Place.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  3. Scotland won.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  4. Twenty a side.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  5. A challenge match.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  6. England v Ireland, 1877.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  7. Open the game up.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  8. 1871, 1875, 1881.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  9. Twenty until 1877.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  10. Raeburn Place 1871.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

Test 7How scoring changedTake a test

  1. Three points from 1893.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  2. Four points from 1971.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  3. Five points from 1992.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  4. Encourage tries.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  5. Two points.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  6. Tries only counted in ties.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  7. Drop goals dropped to three in 1948.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  8. 1893, 1971, 1992.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  9. 5, 3, 2.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  10. Changing values.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

Test 8The International BoardTake a test

  1. A disputed try in 1884.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  2. Founded 1886.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  3. England joined in 1890.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  4. Disagreement over votes.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  5. England joined in 1890.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  6. IRB from 1998.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  7. World Rugby since 2014.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  8. 1886, 1998, 2014.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  9. 1886, 1890, 1948-49.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  10. England stayed out until 1890.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

Test 9Rugby goes abroadTake a test

  1. Nelson, 1870.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  2. Monro introduced it in Nelson.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  3. Sydney University Football Club.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  4. Through the empire and schools.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  5. Cape schools adopted it.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  6. Grassroots spread.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  7. Aussie rules in the south.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  8. 1863, 1870, 1888.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  9. 1871, 1870s-1890s, 1899.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  10. Rugby spreads abroad.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

Test 10The ballTake a test

  1. Rounder, plum-shaped.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  2. Pig's bladders were blown up.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  3. William Gilbert of Rugby.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  4. A better ball.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  5. Modern synthetic balls.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  6. Waterlogged leather.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  7. Oval for handling.

    Source: General rugby union reference · recall

  8. Old to new.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  9. Round to oval.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

  10. Ball history.

    Source: General rugby union reference · applied

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