Different forms of tackle “football” exist all over the world and have been around for centuries.  Many people point to the official start of the sport at Rugby Highschool in England in around 1828-1830.  The game evolved from classic “football” or soccer to Rugby after many school boys were encouraged to join teams to display their “manliness.”

The first ever rugby club was believed to be at Blackheath in 1858. Rugby spread quickly over to Scotland and Ireland too with the University of Dublin adopting their first team in 1859 and the Old Boys of Edinburgh at Edinburgh Academical School signing their first in 1863.