BRSS#6: Hooligan Gentlemen's Game
The 6th cache of the series, a camo-taped bison tube is hidden on the eastern boundary of the Ben Rhydding sports club pitches.
To reach the cache location from #5, you can either walk west along the pavement to the entrance of the sports club and then head across the field to the cache or . . . you can save 5 minutes and sneak through a gap in the sports club fence at the corner where it meets the garden centre wall and head across to GZ!
The cache title refers to the phrase 'a game for hooligans played by gentlemen' which was supposedly used by Winston Churchill to differentiate rugby from football - 'a game for gentlemen played by hooligans'.
Rugby’s rich and fascinating history reflects its transformation from a schoolyard pastime to a global sport, beloved for its physicality, teamwork, and traditions.
1823: Rugby’s origins are often traced to Rugby School in Warwickshire, England. According to legend, during a football game, a student named William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran with it. While this story is debated, the school played a pivotal role in shaping the game.
1845: The first written rules of rugby were drafted at Rugby School by students. These rules laid the foundation for the sport.
1863: A split occurred between rugby and association football (soccer) when disagreements arose over whether players could handle the ball.
1871: The Rugby Football Union (RFU) was founded in England, establishing official rules. The first international rugby match was played between England and Scotland.
Amateur vs. Professional: Rugby remained an amateur sport for decades. In 1895, a schism occurred over players' compensation, leading to the formation of rugby league (RL professional) and rugby union (RU amateur at the time). These two codes developed independently. RU focused on more structured play with whereas RL evolved into a faster-paced game.
C19: RU spread across the British Empire to countries like New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Canada. C20: gained popularity in non-English-speaking nations, such as France, Argentina, and Japan.
1987: The first Rugby World Cup was held, with New Zealand emerging as champions.
1995: RU turned professional, allowing players to earn a living from the sport. This marked the end of the amateur era.
C21: Rugby continues to grow globally, with the World Cup and the Six Nations Championship (in Europe) among its premier competitions. The sport also returned to the Olympics in 2016 with Rugby Sevens, a faster variant.
The two forms of rugby share a common origin but differ significantly in rules, gameplay, and culture. Their differing styles offer unique appeal, catering to different types of players and fans.
Participants: the Rugby Football Union (RFU) reported that over 880,000 adults and children regularly play rugby union across England, supported by over 100,000 volunteers, including coaches and referees. In contrast The number of registered rugby league participants in England is just over 100,000, including players involved in full-contact club rugby league, as well as those participating in touch rugby league, wheelchair rugby league, and masters rugby league. This number is gradually declining, although the number of women players is increasing.
The main differences between the two codes are:
1. Number of Players: RU/RL 15/13 Subs: up to 8/5
2. Scoring System (points): RU/RL: try 5/4, conversion 2/2, penalty kick 3/2, drop goal 3/1.
3. Gameplay Style: RU: emphasis is on contests for possession, including scrums, lineouts, rucks, and mauls. The game can be slower-paced with frequent stoppages for set pieces.
RL: faster-paced with fewer stoppages. No lineouts - when the ball goes out, play restarts with a scrum. Tackled teams must release the ball after six tackles or hand over possession.
4. Tackling and Continuation: RU: after a tackle, play continues with a ruck or maul to contest the ball. RL: after a tackle, the tackled player must stand and 'play the ball' back to a teammate with their foot.
5. Set Pieces: RU: features scrums with 8 players per team and lineouts for restarting play. RL: scrums involve fewer players (6 per team) and are less contested; no lineouts.
6. Time: both codes play two halves of 40 minutes, but RL has a more continuous clock due to fewer stoppages. RU allows more stoppage time for set pieces and penalties.
7. Field Dimensions: RU: field is slightly larger, with more players needing more space. RL: field dimensions are slightly smaller to accommodate faster gameplay.
8. Origins and Culture:
RU: originated as the traditional code, historically amateur until professionalism in 1995. It is more popular globally, especially in countries like New Zealand, South Africa, and England. RL: was formed in 1895 after a split over professionalism and is popular in northern England, Australia, and Papua New Guinea.
10. Popular Competitions:
RU: Six Nations Championship (2024 champions - Ireland), Rugby World Cup (2023 champions South Africa, Gallagher Premiership (2023/4 champions Northampton), Super Rugby (2024 champions Blues (Australia).
RL: Super League (2024 champions Wigan Warriors), National Rugby League (NRL) (Australia 2024 champions Penrith Panthers), Rugby League World Cup (2021 champions Australia).
See here for an amusing and informative short video on the difference between the two forms.
