FIRST RUGBY RULES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 108, 3 November 1923, Page 19

FIRST RUGBY RULES

STRANGE METHODS OF PLAY AT FIRST.

Probably the first set of rules ever drawn up and printed for the regularisation of football (writes a correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian") was one drawn up in the year 1846 by four of the boys of Rugby School, one of whom was the third son of Dr. Arnold, the famous headmaster. The rules were 37 in number, and many of them read very curiously to-day. There is one, for example, to limit the time of matches, it being enacted that "all matches are drawn after five days, or after three days if no goal has been kicked." And now we win or lose our games in 80 minutes! Another rule afford an interesting sidelight upon the expedients adopted in' those days by enthusiastic players to stave off defeat. This reads: "It shall be a goal if the ball go over the bar (whether it touch or not) without having touched the dress or person of any player ; 'but no player must stand on the goal-bar to interrupt it going over." The history of early football contains many equally- entertaining facts. There is, for instance, the curious feature in Winchester football of utilising one of the boys as a goal. He was made to stand with his legs far apart and his arms straight vp 1 in the air. If the ball was kicked between his legs or directly over his head three points were scored. On each 'side of his feet a gown was spread; if the ball passed over one or other of these, two points were scored. Football appears to have been as popular at Winchester as at Rugby, and though the fame of the latter school ha 3 spread far and wide, much was done at Winchester that helped to develop the game towards its present conditions.