With the Rugby World Cup around the corner, WaterCoolersDirect has written a brief blog on the history of Rugby with a few facts so you're not left short when discussing this great sport!   The Origins of Rugby   Rugby has been a popular sport for well over a hundred years. This historic English game has evolved over the years to become the sport we know and love today. It originated when a schoolboy called William Webb Ellis was playing football and decided to pick up the ball and run with it in 1823 at Rugby School. After that rugby football was played across the UK with varying rules and no real consistency. It wasn't until 1871 that a number of clubs met to form the Rugby Football Union and a set of rules were enforced.   The first International game of Rugby was played in 1871 at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh, England vs. Scotland. The English team wore all white with a red rose and the Scottish team wore brown shirts with a thistle and white cricket flannels. The Scottish team were victorious, winning with a successful conversion kick.   By the end of the 19th century Rugby's popularity as a sport had travelled across the globe, and was being played regularly and competitively in Australia and America.   The game of Rugby continued to evolve with new rules and conducts of play. In 1877 the number of players on a team reduced from 20 to 15. The ball, which was originally made from pig's bladder and was more spherical in shape, was redesigned with a rubber bladder and a more oval shape in 1862. The rugby ball was redesigned again in the late 1980's because it would often become water logged, it was replaced with the waterproof synthetic balls we play with today!   Fun Rugby Facts  
  • The first Rugby World Cup was held in 1987
  • The Rugby World Cup 2015 is the 8th tournament of its kind
  • The trophy that is won is called the Web Ellis Cup
  • Only rugby players who have won the world cup can touch the Web Ellis Cup
  • 281 matches have been played in Rugby World Cup history
  • England is the only northern hemisphere country to win the Rugby World Cup
  • New Zealand won the first Rugby World Cup
  • New Zealand, South Africa and Australia have all won the world cup twice
  Here's another rugby fact! Did you know that Rugby World Cup and celebrity MasterChef winner, Phil Vickery MBE, is WaterCoolersDirect.com's  Aquatap ambassador? The Aquatap is the latest kitchen innovation from British manufacturer, Heatrae Sadia, specialists in hot water heating systems and now hot taps for drinking water. In concert with the rugby star, known on the pitch as the Raging Bull, the Aquatap boasts British design and style, high performance, and robustness; a true workhorse. As the only British product in the hot tap market, the endorsement from Phil Vickery is set to capitalise on the shared values between his heritage, career and the Aquatap brand. Whilst filming the Aquatap video, Phil Vickery MBE said: “Whether I'm on the rugby field, in the kitchen or the boardroom, I like smart thinking and operating, and kit that I can trust, time and time again. With an Aquatap there is no need to wait for a cuppa or miss out on life! I am pleased to be working with WaterCoolersDirect in promoting this great British product – it's really impressive and does away with the kettle.”   References: youthsporttrust.org, rugbyfootballhistory.com, rugbyschool.net