Where Did Rugby Start?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 05, 2023

The game of rugby originated at the Rugby School of Rugby, England. The popularly held belief is that rugby was invented by William Webb Ellis in 1823. Although there is a lack of evidence to corroborate this widely accepted view, the Rugby World Cup was named the William Webb Ellis Trophy by the international committee.

The first codified rules of rugby were written in 1845 by school prefects. One rule provided that in case of accidents, replacements were not allowed. Some key words in the original rules can still be found in modern rugby laws. These terminologies include knock-on, onside, offside, try, goal, place kick, charge, scrummage and fair catch.