While rugby has never had the same level of television exposure as soccer, it seems to have become much more popular in recent years. Many people’s memories of rugby are of shivering in the rain at school and praying the big guy doesn’t come anywhere, but it’s a great game to watch from the comfort of the living room! As rugby seems to be getting a better deal on television these days, for those who may be new to rugby, here are ten things you probably didn’t know about the sport.

1. What is an attempt called?

A try is called a try, because when the game was first played, no points were awarded for touching the ball at your opponent’s end of the field. However, what he did win was an attempt, or an attempt, to score.

2. The game is named after the British school in which it was invented

When soccer was played in English schools in the 19th century, there were no formalized rules for the game and each school produced its own rule book. A boy named William Webb Ellis, who attended rugby school, is believed to have invented the game of rugby when he decided to pick up the ball and run towards the goal during a soccer game. The Rugby Union World Cup is still called the Web Ellis Cup to this day.

3. Rugby balls were first made from pig bladders.

Rugby and soccer balls used to be made using a pig’s bladder for the interior. Unfortunately, the pigs’ bladders did not heal very well and they often rotted. The man’s wife, who made the rugby balls at the Rugby School in the 19th century, died from the effects of the fumes she inhaled from the balls.

4. The reigning Olympic champions are the USA.

By a whim of fate, the current reigning Olympic champions in the sport of rugby are the USA and they have held that title since 1924. The reason is that rugby was eliminated as an Olympic sport in that year.

5. There are two different types of rugby that are played.

To make it even more confusing for non-experts, there are two types of rugby that are played, rugby league and rugby union. The games are very similar but the rules are quite different, including a different scoring system.

6. The big scores

One of the differences between soccer and rugby that anyone new to the sport will notice is the great scores. The largest scoring difference ever recorded in an international match was in a match between Australia and Namibia, when Australia won the match 142 points to zero.

7. The Hundred Year World Cup Whistle

At the beginning of each rugby world cup, the tournament begins when the referee blows a hundred-year-old whistle. It is the same whistle that was used for a 1924 match between England and New Zealand at the Paris Olympics.

8. The rugby world cup has never been retained by a team.

The New Zealand team is the favorite to win the 2015 rugby world cup and if it succeeds, it will enter a rugby world cup first, because the title has never been retained by a team, since the tournament started. in 1987.

9. A rugby coach invented basketball.

James Naismith, a New England rugby coach, is credited with inventing basketball. It is said that he invented basketball so that his rugby team could train indoors when the weather was too bad for training outdoors.

10. The singing of the national anthem on sporting occasions began with rugby.

The traditional singing of national anthems before an international sporting event began in rugby. It began when Welsh rugby fans responded to the New Zealand team’s Maori war dance with their own national anthem in 1905. The singing of national anthems before a match was officially adopted.

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