Marlborough and the formation of rugby football

Catriona M (L6)

Rugby, created by William Webb Ellis, is not something majorly attributed to Marlborough College and instead is rightfully dedicated to the Rugby School. The game’s history is connected to an old version of football, where the rules were relaxed and there were limitless players on each side, with players being able to catch and throw the ball but without running with it. It soon became common to run with the ball and the Rugby School began to spread their game with the wider nation in 1823.

Eventually, this would reach Marlborough College in 1864, when they would play Clifton College in their first inter-school game. Not many schools played rugby and Marlborough was a prime mover in the formation of the popularity and influence of the sport.

Marlborough College first formed their team in 1861, and the Marlborough Nomads, a team made from masters and OMs as well as personnel from the army, was formed in 1868. They played in red, white and blue stripes. It is argued that Marlborough, although not often mentioned is only second to the influence Rugby School had in early rugby, and their rules were those by which the rugby laws were influenced.

At this time, Cambridge wanted to draw up a list of rules to set the game. In 1848, there was a meeting that took place at Cambridge University. Representatives from Eton, Rugby, Marlborough and Westminster gathered and produced what would be known as Cambridge Rules. Some of the rules were that goals would be awarded for balls kicked between the flag posts and under the crossbar; players of the same team should wear the same colour cap; and thrown ins must be taken with one hand only, only when the ball went out of play. It was then that rugby transcended from a sport that school boys played to an actual game that men would play.

The first rugby meeting was attended by the Marlborough Nomads, along with 20 other clubs, including Wellington, King’s and St Paul’s. They were dubbed the founders of Rugby Union, and many more would join this movement in the coming years, such as Brighton, Liverpool and Bath.

In the future, perhaps Marlborough could be the beginning of girls’ rugby at public schools, just as it was for boys’ rugby when Marlborough was a boys’ school. As more and more women and girls are getting into the sport as it grows worldwide, hopefully Marlborough can spark another movement where girls are involved in such a wonderful game.