Renowned Rugby historian professor Tony Collins recently appeared on the Fergo and The Freak podcast to talk about the civil war that gripped Rugby in the last 1800’s.
With the controlling body of Rugby in the UK, the RFU desperate to keep control of the sport, and with the powerful block of clubs in the north of England looking to change the sport and take it professional, the battle lines were drawn.
In this podcast Professor Collins outlines how Rugby was split in two, with Rugby League being formed in northern England, and how the idea of professionalism spread across the world. This lead to Rugby League taking off in Wales, New Zealand, Australia and France, from which the game would grow to become a truly global sport.
This was a great discussion, one that outlines a very important moment in sporting history.
You can listen below!
You can also listen to Professor Tony Collins podcast Rugby Reloaded by clicking here!
