PATHWAY OF FAME
A tour around the birthplace of rugby football
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Welcome to Rugby – The Rugby Town Explore the birthplace of the game on a tour of The Pathway of Fame, a collection of bronze plaques which celebrate legendary players and pivotal moments in rugby’s history. This booklet guides you around The Pathway of Fame and includes a map of the town centre and suggested route to discover all 51 bronze plaques. The route includes many of Rugby’s historic buildings and landmarks, and takes approximately one hour to complete. Many of these Pathway of Fame individuals are also World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees and these are represented by the World Rugby Hall of Fame logo throughout this guide. A visit to the World Rugby Hall of Fame, which is situated at the start and end of the route, is a ‘must-do’ during your time in Rugby.
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1. Rugby Visitor Centre Your journey begins at Rugby Visitor Centre, located in the foyer of the World Rugby Hall of Fame and Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, the town’s cultural hub. The World Rugby Hall of Fame celebrates the game from its humble origins at Rugby School to the global sport it has become today, with state of the art technology creating an immersive and interactive experience to remember. The Art Gallery hosts a programme of contemporary and modern art exhibitions throughout the year, while the Museum reveals Rugby’s Roman and social history. Outside the Visitor Centre, you’ll find the first plaque on The Pathway of Fame.
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Rugby Visitor Centre
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Jonny Wilkinson England Jonny Wilkinson cemented his place in rugby history when his extra-time drop goal defeated Australia in the final of Rugby World Cup in 2003.
Named the World Rugby Player of the Year in England’s World Cup winning year, Wilkinson ended his club career as a European Cup winner with Toulon in 2014. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2016. From here, follow the building to the left and enter the gardens of the Percival Guildhouse, the former home of antiquarian Matthew Bloxam. Pass through the archway on to St Matthew’s Street, where you can visit the Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum, where William Gilbert made the world famous rugby balls. To the right you can see the Royal Wedding Clock, erected in 1981 to mark the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. Cross over the road to Rugby School and the statue of William Webb Ellis.
A fly-half with a relentless drive for perfection, Wilkinson won 91 caps for England, six for the British and Irish Lions, and ended his career with a tally of 1,246 points.
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2. Webb Ellis Statue The statue of William Webb Ellis was sculpted by Graham Ibbeson and was unveiled in 1997 by former England and British & Irish Lion, Jeremy Guscott. The plaques here commemorate England’s triumphs in the Rugby World Cup. England Win Rugby World Cup 2003 Sir Clive Woodward’s England team defied the doubters and history by lifting the William Webb Ellis Trophy after a nail-biting Getty extra time triumph over hosts Australia in the final of the Rugby World Cup. Led by talisman Martin Johnson and inspired by the mercurial Jonny Wilkinson, England recorded victories over Georgia, South Africa, Samoa and Uruguay in the pool stages before beating Wales in the quarter-finals to set up a semi-final clash with France.
A tense match with Australia was deadlocked at 14-14 at the end of normal time, but Wilkinson was destined to be England’s hero, kicking the winning drop goal with just 26 seconds remaining. England Win Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 Having tasted defeat in three successive finals, England travelled to France searching for a first World Cup win in 20 years. With a team comprising plumbers, vets, teachers and police officers – many taking @therugbytown
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A routine win over Ireland in the semi-final set up a rematch with Canada in the final, where tries from Danielle Waterman and Emily Scarratt, together with 11 points from Scarratt’s reliable boot, secured England a hard-earned 21-9 win at Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris.
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In recognition of the achievement, Rugby Borough Council granted the England team the Freedom of the Borough, the highest honour the council can bestow. Rugby School was founded in 1567 following a bequest by Lawrence Sheriff, an Elizabethan tradesman. It remains private property, but you can book tours of the school and its grounds. Ask at the Visitor Centre for more details.
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Webb Ellis Statue
Wilkinson kicked all England’s points in a 24-7 victory over the French to secure a place in the final at Sydney’s Telstra Stadium.
unpaid leave to compete at the tournament – England recorded comfortable victories over Spain and Samoa before closing the pool stage with a 13-13 draw with Canada.
From the Webb Ellis statue, walk along Lawrence Sheriff Street towards Barby Road. On the corner over the road lies the Temple Speech Rooms, named after former Rugby School headmaster Frederick Temple, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. The building was opened in 1909 by King Edward VII. Follow the pavement into Barby Road and you arrive at The Close, the place where the game began.
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3. The Close The birthplace of the game can be traced to the hallowed turf on The Close, where William Webb Ellis caught the ball and ran in 1823. The plaques here commemorate pivotal moments in the game’s history.
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The Close
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William Webb Ellis In 1823, William Webb Ellis gave the world the game of rugby when, during a game of football at Rugby School, he showed a “fine disregard for the rules” by taking up the ball and running with it.
The First International (1871) Former Rugby School pupils proved great ambassadors for the game and football ‘played to the Rugby rules’ quickly became popular across the country.
Despite inventing the game of rugby, Webb Ellis was noted for his skills as a cricketer, and played for Oxford University. After completing his education he devoted his life to the church.
Scotland challenged England to a rematch, but under the Rugby rules favoured by Scottish clubs.
He died in France in 1872 and his grave, in the Vieux Chateau cemetery in Menton, was restored by the French Rugby Federation in time for 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. William Webb Ellis was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2006. The First Written Rules (1845) Throughout the 1830s and 1840s the game of rugby was in a constant state of evolution, but in 1845 the task fell to three Rugby School students to set out the game’s rules in writing. William Delafield Arnold, WW Shirley and Frederick Hutchins spent three days committing the 37 rules of the game to paper, and the rules were rubber-stamped by the school’s prefects. The first rugby rule book contains many terms still in use to this day, including scrummage, try and knock on.
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The first rugby international followed a game of Association Football between England and Scotland at the Kennington Oval in 1870, which the English won 1-0.
The 20-a-side game was played at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, on 27 March 1871 with Scotland winning by two tries and one goal to England’s solitary try. The defeated England team included ten former Rugby School pupils. International Rugby Football Board founded (1886) A disallowed try in a match between England and Scotland in 1884 led to the formation of the International Rugby Football Board. The row over the try – scored by England but disallowed due to a Scottish infringement carried on long after the final whistle and the Rugby Football Union’s insistence the rules of the game were to be determined by the English led Scotland, Ireland and Wales to form the International Rugby Football Board in 1886. The Rugby Football Union (RFU) refused to join the board, unhappy each country was to have equal representation, but relented four years later when it was given the majority of seats. @therugbytown
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The board changed its name to the International Rugby Board in 1998, by which time it consisted of nearly 100 members. In 2014 the board changed its name to World Rugby. Foundation of Rugby League (1895) The game of rugby had flourished in Yorkshire and Lancashire, but the northern clubs’ policy of compensating players for missing work led to accusations of professionalism from the Rugby Football Union (RFU), which insisted the game retained its amateur status. With the row rumbling on, representatives from Yorkshire and Lancashire clubs met at Huddersfield’s George Hotel on 29 August 1895 and formed the Northern Rugby Football Union, breaking away from the RFU.
First World Cup (1987) Following a number of false starts, the first Rugby World Cup took place in Australia and New Zealand, with 16 countries competing for the Webb Ellis Cup. The first game saw Getty New Zealand crush Italy 70-6, a victory which set the tone for the tournament as the established rugby nations completed convincing victories over the ‘minnows’ in the pool stages. The All Blacks cruised to the final at Auckland’s Eden Park, where the French offered little resistance to the tournament favourites. @therugbytown
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First Women’s Rugby World Cup (1991) Following the World Rugby Festival for Women in New Zealand the year before, the first Women’s Rugby World Cup took place in the Welsh capital, Cardiff, in 1991.
Run on a shoestring budget, a dozen teams competed at the tournament, with finalists England and the USA playing four games in just eight days.
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The USA’s defence dominated en route to the final, recording victories over the Netherlands, Soviet Union and New Zealand without conceding a point. And while England did manage to breach the USA’s defence in the final, the Americans ran out comfortable 19-6 winners to secure a place in history. If you walk further along Barby Road, on the left, stands a statue honouring author Thomas Hughes, whose most famous work, Tom Brown’s School Days, was a semi-autobiographical account of life at Rugby School.
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The Close
The ‘Northern Union’, as it came to be known, introduced a number of changes to the game’s rules in order to make it more entertaining for spectators, creating distinct differences between the game played in the north and the code formalised by the RFU. In 1922 the Northern Union was renamed the Northern Rugby Football League.
New Zealand’s 29-9 victory included tries from captain David Kirk, Michael Jones and John Kirwan, and 17 points from the boot of fly-half Grant Fox.
Turn back down Barby Road and use the pedestrian crossing to cross over Lawrence Sheriff Street on to Little Church Street, which leads to St Andrew’s Church. On the corner of Little Church Street, on your left, stands the Rugby School’s Bursary building, once home to Richard and Elizabeth Wood, founders of the town’s Hospital of St Cross.
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4. St Andrew’s Church St Andrew’s Church has stood at the heart of Rugby since the 14th century, with the church’s West Tower believed to be the town’s oldest structure. The church’s other tower, designed by William Butterfield, was added in 1895. On the pavement in front of the church you can find the next plaques on the Pathway. Mark Andrews - South Africa Mark Andrews redefined the role of lock forward during a Springbok career which spanned 77 caps and a Getty World Cup final triumph. Standing 6’7” tall, he naturally dominated lineouts, but it was his mobility and tenacious work in the loose which broke the mould of the traditional second row.
He scored on his debut against New Zealand in 1982, and nine years later was a pivotal member of Australia’s World Cup winning team, ending the tournament with six tries. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013.
He made his Springbok debut against England in Cape Town in 1994 and a year later was a key member of the South Africa team which lifted the Webb Ellis Cup on home soil, switching to number eight for both the semi-final win against France and the victory over New Zealand in the final.
Tommy Lawton – Australia The Lawton family was an Australian rugby dynasty, with Tom Lawton Snr a World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee. Grandson Tommy carved his own place in rugby history, redefining the role of hooker with his six foot, 17 stone frame. Despite his size, Lawton – affectionately known as ‘Turtle’ by team mates – combined grace and nimble footwork with his imposing, aggressive playing style. He was first choice hooker for the Wallabies from his 1982 debut against France and went on to earn 41 caps.
Hugo Porta Argentina The ‘magician of Argentine rugby’ was initially earmarked for a career at scrumhalf, but it was at fly Getty -half where his skills flourished on the international stage for nearly 20 years. Peerless with both boot and ball in hand, Porta put Argentina on the world rugby map, scoring 590 points in 58 tests and captaining his country 34 times.
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St Andrew’s Church
David Campese Australia A maverick both on and off the field, David Campese held the world try-scoring record for more than a decade, Getty crossing the line 64 times in his 101 tests. Campo was the game’s ultimate entertainer, a flying winger who bamboozled defences with his nimble footwork and remarkable change of pace.
He retired following following World Cup 1987 but made a brief return three years later to play for Los Pumas against England, Ireland and Scotland. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2008. @therugbytown
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5. Church Street – The Squirrel Carry on walking up Church Street and until, over the road, you see The Squirrel, one of Rugby’s smallest pubs. The pub was originally three thatched cottages, dating back to the 18th century. On the road opposite The Squirrel you’ll find the next collection of Pathway plaques. Jack Kyle - Ireland One of the greatest fly-halves to play the game, Jack Kyle was blessed with all the attributes of a rugby genius. Getty
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Beautifully balanced, strong in defence, an accurate kicker and elusive runner, Kyle pulled the strings in Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning side of 1948 and played all six tests during the British and Irish Lions’ 1950 tour of New Zealand, where he was hailed as the best fly-half ever to play on the islands.
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Voted Ireland’s greatest rugby player, Kyle ended his international career in 1958 having earned 52 caps. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2008. Nick Shehadie Australia Following a distinguished playing career with the Wallabies, Nick Shehadie played a Getty pivotal role as an administrator of the sport and was a driving force behind the establishment of the Rugby World Cup. A lock and prop forward, Shehadie made his Wallabies debut in 1947, going on to earn 30 caps, three as captain.
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But the former Lord Mayor of Sydney’s major impact on the game came as president of the Australian Rugby Union (ARU). Shehadie defied widespread opposition to successfully lobby for a Rugby World Cup and ended his seven-year tenure as ARU president after the first tournament took place in 1987. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2011. Colin Meads - New Zealand Voted the All Blacks’ Player of the Century at the New Zealand Rugby Football Union Awards in 1999, Mead’s stature in the game was summed up by his nickname – ‘Pinetree.’
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A tenacious back row forward, his international career spanned three decades, winning 55 test caps from 1957 to 1971. His fearsome reputation on the field resulted in controversy on a number of occasions. However, his bravery was never in question, once breaking an arm in a match against Eastern Transvaal in South Africa but remaining on the pitch to the final whistle to help the All Blacks win the game. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014. Use the pedestrian crossing and start walking back down Church Street, towards the Royal Bank of Scotland on the corner of Albert Street. @therugbytown
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6. Church Street – Royal Bank of Scotland The banking buildings here were built in the French Renaissance style. Above street level, you can see a moulded panel bearing symbols denoting agriculture, industry, transport and commerce, and the Greek word for a place to deposit money, ‘trapeza’. The next set of Pathway plaques can be found here. Martin Johnson England A born leader and one of the greatest lock forwards to play the game, Martin Johnson was a talisman for the Leicester Tigers, England and the British and Irish Lions. He lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in 2003 after England triumphed over hosts Australia in the World Cup final, but his status as one of the legends of the game was secured before that dramatic night in Sydney. Getty
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Church Street
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Johnson’s 92 test caps included a brace of Grand Slams with England and three Lions tours, while he led the Tigers to four consecutive league titles and back-toback European Cups during a period of unprecedented dominance around the turn of the millennium. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2011. Will Carling - England Will Carling captained England during one of the most successful periods in the national side’s history, winning three Grand Slams, Getty five Triple Crowns and losing to Australia in the 1991 World Cup final. Carling formed a feared partnership at centre with Jeremy Guscott, with Carling providing the ‘punch’ which created space for Hall of Fame inductee Guscott’s silky running.
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After enduring a disappointing tour of New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions in 1993, Carling bounced back to claim a third Grand Slam with England in 1995 and ended his international career with 72 caps, 59 as captain. Stefano Bettarello Italy Son of Romano and nephew of Ottorino, both Italian internationals before him, fly-half Stefano Bettarello won 55 caps for the Azzurri between 1979 and 1988, becoming the first player in world rugby to score more than 400 points. His prodigious point-scoring was the result of a reliable boot, great turn of pace and a legendary sidestep. He missed the opportunity to showcase his skills at a Rugby World Cup as work commitments saw him miss out on the 1987 tournament, but in the same year he became the first Italian to play for the Barbarians. Serge Blanco France The Biarritz Bomber embodied the freeflowing spirit of French rugby, spearheading counter-attacks from Getty full-back with his devastating speed and awareness with ball in hand.
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Venezuelan-born Serge Blanco earned 93 caps for the French from 1980 to 1991, captaining the side on 17 occasions, and won a brace of Grand Slams and four further Five Nations titles.
be named South African player of the year four times. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2015. Colby Slater - United States of America Colby ‘Babe’ Slater helped America defy the odds and take gold at the Olympic Games of both 1920 and 1924.
His 38 international tries included the match winner in winner in World Cup 1987 semifinal against Australia. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2011. Naas Botha - South Africa One of South African rugby’s all-time greats, Naas Botha had the honour of leading the Springboks back into Getty the international rugby fold in 1992 following the abolition of apartheid. A fly-half with deft handling skills and a great range of pass, Botha was a clinical kicker who once held the world record for international drop goals.
Only France and America entered the rugby tournament at the 1920 games in Antwerp, with the French overwhelming favourites. Torrential rain meant the match was dominated by the forwards, with back row Slater dominating the lineout to help America secure a shock 8-0 victory. Four years later, Slater captained the American team which travelled to Paris to defend the Olympic title. After both the USA and France enjoyed easy wins over Romania – the only other team in the tournament – America again stunned the favourites to record a 17-3 win in front of a hostile home crowd.
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Church Street
While the Springboks’ isolation from world rugby limited him to just 28 caps from 1980 to 1992, Botha’s tally of 312 points led him to
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7. Regent Street and Jubilee Gardens Continue along Church Street and turn down Regent Street to enter the town’s independent quarter of shops and eateries. You’ll find the next collection of Pathway plaques along Regent Street as it leads towards Jubilee Gardens. Sean Fitzpatrick New Zealand The son of former All Black, Brian, Sean Fitzpatrick made his New Zealand debut in 1986 against France and his impact on the Getty international rugby stage was immediate.
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Regent Street
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A year later Fitzpatrick kept first choice hooker and All Blacks skipper Andy Dalton out of the starting XV which lifted the inaugural Rugby World Cup, cementing his position as the cornerstone of New Zealand’s dominant front row for the next decade. One of the most feared and respected players of his generation, Fitzpatrick won 92 caps for the All Blacks, captaining the side on 69 occasions, including the legendary series win over the British and Irish Lions in 1993. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014. Dave Gallaher New Zealand The captain of the ‘The Originals’, Dave Gallaher was born in County Donegal, Ireland, but emigrated World Rugby to New Zealand with his family when he was five-years-old. A natural leader and innovator, Gallaher led New Zealand on a mammoth tour of Europe and North America in 1905/1906, with the All Blacks winning 34 of 35 matches, scoring 976 points and conceding just 59.
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Gallaher originally played hooker but pioneered at wing forward, feeding the ball into the scrum rather than binding with his fellow forwards. Such was Gallaher’s forward-thinking, he committed his thoughts on the game to a book, The Complete Rugby Footballer, which he co-wrote on the tour with vice-captain Billy Stead. Gallaher retired at the end of the tour, later becoming a coach and national selector. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2011. Danie Craven South Africa A Springbok captain, coach and administrator, Danie Craven devoted his life to the game, earning the title of ‘Mr Rugby’. A versatile player, Craven – or ‘Doc’ as he was known – was a scrum-half by trade but also won Springbok caps at fly-half, centre and number eight. World Rugby
His tenure as the Springboks’ coach was one of the most successful in the country’s history, winning 17 of his 23 tests in charge. But it was his work as president of the South African Rugby Board which cemented his legacy, maintaining his country’s links with other rugby playing nations during apartheid through his membership – and three-time chairmanship - of the International Rugby Board Council. Craven went on to defy criticism from South Africa’s government to bring the country’s divided rugby boards together with the @therugbytown
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formation of the South African Rugby Football Union in 1992, paving the way for the Springboks to return to the global rugby stage. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007. Willie John McBride - Ireland A giant of Irish rugby, lock forward Willie John McBride led from the front during a playing career which included 63 tests for Ireland and Getty a record 17 caps for the British and Irish Lions. In 1974, he captained the Ireland team which captured the country’s first Five Nations crown in more than 20 years, before leading the Lions on the legendary tour of South Africa.
Fittingly, he brought the curtain down on his career by scoring his only try for Ireland in his final international at Lansdowne Road against France in 1975. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2009. Mike Gibson Ireland One of the game’s greatest all-round talents and gentlemen, Mike Gibson’s mercurial skills graced the Getty international stage for 15 years. Equally at home playing fly-half or centre, Gibson possessed a unique ability to read the game @therugbytown
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He also toured with the British and Irish Lions on five occasions, securing the admiration of New Zealand rugby fans for his attacking play during the Lions’ historic series win over the All Blacks in 1971. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2011. GPS Macpherson Scotland GPS (George Philip Stewart) Macpherson made his debut for Scotland in 1922 while studying classics at World Rugby Oxford University, quickly carving out a reputation as one of the game’s great thinkers. A centre with a side-step capable of outwitting the tightest of defences, he captained Scotland to a first Five Nations Grand Slam in 1925, joining fellow Oxford students Ian Smith, George Aitken and Johnny Wallace in a backline full of attacking flare.
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Regent Street
The Springboks were notoriously physical and McBride decided the Lions should fight fire with fire, adopting a ‘one in, all in’ tactic which went down in rugby folklore thanks to the infamous ‘99’ call – the on-field rallying cry to spark a mass melee.
and exploit weaknesses in the opposition’s defence – whether through his silky running, quick hands or unerring boot. He made his Ireland debut in 1964 and went on to earn 69 caps, his career tally of 112 points comprising nine tries, 16 penalties, seven conversions and six drop goals.
Macpherson went on to earn 26 caps for his country, a dozen as captain, scoring four international tries before retiring in 1932. A commemorative clock bearing his name hangs at the home of Scottish rugby, Murrayfield. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2016.
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Philippe Sella France Philippe Sella possessed the “strength of a bull but the touch of a piano player,” according to former French coach, Jacques Fouroux.
One of the greatest centres to play the game, Sella was the first player in rugby history to earn 100 international caps – helping France win three Five Nations titles outright and the share of three more during his pomp in the 1980s and early 90s.
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The Jubilee Gardens were opened in 1977 to mark the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. A statue of poet Rupert Brooke stands in the gardens, which was unveiled in 1987 to mark the centenary of his birth in Rugby. A sandstone sculpture of a Chesterfield suite also sits in the gardens to celebrate Rugby’s literary heritage. Many famous writers have attended Rugby School, including Thomas Hughes, Lewis Carroll and Salman Rushdie.
He played in the first three Rugby World Cups, with the French runners-up in 1987, and ended his international career with 111 caps and 30 tries. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2008.
Jubilee Gardens
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Peter Fatialofa Western Samoa One of the first New Zealand-based players to represent Samoa, prop forward Peter ‘Fats’ Fatialofa made his international debut Getty against Ireland in 1988 and a year later was made captain, leading his side in the Rugby World Cups of 1991 and 1995. Fatialofa epitomised Samoa’s physical style which, coupled with the side’s instinctive attacking flair, won the hearts of rugby fans across the world and saw the side reach the quarter finals in both tournaments. He retired from international rugby in 1996, the year he was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to rugby.
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8. Chestnut Field From Regent Place continue left to Chestnut Field, where a large bronze statue commemorates the work of Sir Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet engine who carried out testing and research in Rugby. Chestnut Field also contains Pathway plaques celebrating legends of the game. Brian Bevan Warrington RLFC The ‘Wing Wizard’ from Sydney took British Rugby League by storm after arriving on the HMAS Australia in 1946. After joining Warrington, Bevan scored on his debut, marking the start of a remarkable tryscoring spree which saw him record a career tally of 796 tries in 688 games. He helped Warrington to three Championships, a brace of Challenge Cups, a Lancashire Cup and six Lancashire League titles.
A three-quarter with guile, power and a reliable boot, Fox’s record-breaking feats included a career tally of 6,220 points, 407 points in a single season and 20 points in a Challenge Cup final. He represented Great Britain 29 times, scoring 14 tries and kicking 93 goals, and after his retirement was made an MBE in recognition of his service to the sport.
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Chesnut Field
The only player to be inducted into both the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame and the British Rugby League Hall of Fame, Bevan was named in Australia’s Team of the Century in 2008, despite never representing his country in a test match.
Neil Fox - Great Britain After making his rugby league debut for Wakefield Trinity at just 16-years-old, Neil Fox spent his career rewriting the record books before hanging up his boots nearly a quarter of a century later.
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9. Caldecott Park From Chestnut Field, cross Park Road and walk into Caldecott Park, Rugby’s award-winning green space.Opened in 1904, Caldecott Park was named in the memory of the Caldecott family, who were lords of Rugby Manor. Thomas Caldecott, the last lord of the manor, died in 1875. If you’re now in need of refreshment, visit the park’s Old Tool Shed Café for a well-earned break.The park’s Pathway plaques pay tribute to a trio of Welsh rugby greats and are located on the wide path, soon after you enter the park from Park Road.
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Gareth Edwards Wales One of the greatest players ever to grace the game, Gareth Edwards possessed sublime skills and a razor-sharp rugby mind.
Gareth Edwards was knighted for his services to sport and charity in 2015. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007. Cliff Morgan Wales ‘Morgan the magnificent’ marked the start of a golden generation of Welsh fly-halves, with Getty his natural balance, strength and rapid acceleration allowing him to control games from number 10. @therugbytown
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When his playing days came to an end, Morgan embarked on a successful career in broadcasting, working in both television and radio for the BBC. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2009.
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Derek Bevan - Wales Welsh referee Derek Bevan earned the respect of players from across the world during a career which spanned 44 international matches.
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Caldecott Park
Making his debut for Wales in 1967, the scrum-half went on to play in 53 consecutive tests for his country, winning seven Five Nations titles and three Grand Slams. Edwards also toured with the British and Irish Lions on three occasions, playing in the victorious teams which conquered New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa in 1974. But his legendary status in the game was cemented by scoring what became known as ‘that try’ – finishing a dazzling, length-ofthe-field move for the Barbarians against the All Blacks at Cardiff Arms Park in 1973.
He was part of the Welsh Grand Slamwinning team of 1952 and the following year he helped both Cardiff and Wales to historic victories over the touring All Blacks. He toured South Africa with the British and Irish Lions in 1955 and, such was his contribution to a series tied 2-2, the South African press dubbed it “the Cliff Morgan tour.”
He officiated in the first three Rugby World Cups, taking charge of the final in 1991 when Australia edged out England at Twickenham. By the time he blew the final whistle on his career following the 2000 Six Nations game between Ireland and Italy, Bevan had refereed matches featuring all top class rugby nations. He was made an MBE in 2000 and carried on working in the game as a TMO (television match official) until 2016.
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10. North Street Leaving Caldecott Park by the same entrance, turn left and walk up North Street towards the town for the next two plaques.
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North Street
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Gareth Rees Canada The only player to play in the first four Rugby World Cups, Gareth Rees broke into the Canadian team at just 18-years-old and became the team’s lynchpin for a dozen years.
A master tactician with a reliable boot, the burly fly-half was also comfortable at fullback, earning 55 caps for Canada – 23 as captain. When he called time on his international career following World Cup 1999, Rees had scored 491 points for his country. His club career included spells in the English and Welsh leagues, playing for Bedford, Wasps, Harlequins and Newport. Rees was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2011.
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Waisale Serevi - Fiji The undisputed ‘King of Sevens’ and a true rugby original, Waisale Serevi put the shortened version of the game on the global map with his unique talent and dazzling displays for Fiji.
He enjoyed success at the prestigious Hong Kong Sevens on five occasions, ending his sevens career with 1,310 points in the World Rugby Sevens Series. Serevi also earned 38 caps for Fiji in the 15s, appearing at three Rugby World Cups. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013. Across the road you will see the Clock Tower which sits in the heart of the town centre. It was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Cross the road to find the next plaque on the other side of North Street. Fakahau Valu - Tonga A combative flanker, Fakahau Valu was a member of the Tongan team which recorded one of international rugby’s greatest shock victories, a 16-11 win over the mighty Australia at Queensland’s Ballymore Stadium in 1973. By the 1987 Rugby World Cup, Valu had become Tonga’s captain and he scored his team’s only try in the opening pool game defeat to Canada. Following the tournament he brought the curtain down on his playing career, but returned to international rugby to coach Tonga at the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa.
Appearing at scrumhalf, fly-half and full-back, in truth no position could constrain Serevi’s natural instinct to run with the ball, bamboozling defences with his pace and invention.
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11. Chapel Street From the Clock Tower, walk up Market Place and turn right on to Chapel Street. On the corner of Chapel Street sits Rugby’s oldest building, a 14th century shop which once housed Tew’s the Butchers. Tew’s placed in history was secured when author Thomas Hughes mentioned it in Tom Brown’s School Days for supplying the piece of beef steak with which Tom Brown nursed a black eye after a fight with ‘Slogger’ Williams. You can also find two more Pathway plaques on Chapel Street. Shiggy Konno - Japan A prop forward during his days at Doshisha University, Shigeru ‘Shiggy’ Konno was denied an international rugby career by the outbreak of the Second World War. But his early education in London led to his first taste of rugby administration in 1952, acting as liaison for an Oxford University team on a tour of Japan. Konno went on to manage the Japanese national team on overseas tours for nearly three decades, including the Rugby World Cups of 1987 and 1991.
he played a pivotal role in the formation and administration of the Asian Rugby Football Union. Konno was also Japan’s representative on the International Rugby Board for nearly a decade. He was awarded an OBE in 1985 for services to the sport.
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His birthplace, Lourdes, led to his nickname, L’extraordinaire – the miracle player. He played for his hometown club throughout his career, leading Lourdes to the French championship on six occasions between 1948 and 1958. A flanker with formidable fitness and a fine kicking boot, Prat helped France to a first Five Nations triumph in 1954, the year he scored the winning try in France’s first victory over the All Blacks.
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At the Japan Rugby Football Union, he served as chairman, president and honorary secretary during near 40 years’ service, and
Jean Prat - France A French rugby legend who earned the moniker Monsieur Rugby, Jean Prat made his debut for Les Bleus in 1945 against the British Army.
He went on to enjoy success as national team coach in the 1960s and was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2011.
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12. High Street Once you have visited the two plaques on Chapel Street, turn back on to the main pedestrian thoroughfare. Where the street forks, head left on to High Street. Here you’ll find shops, cafes and restaurants – and more Pathway plaques.
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Ian McGeechan Scotland Born in Leeds, Ian McGeechan spent his club career with Headingly but chose to represent Scotland due to his father’s Getty Glaswegian roots. He earned 32 caps for the Scots, playing at fly-half and centre, and toured with the British and Irish Lions in 1974 and 1977. Despite an impressive playing career, McGeechan’s place in rugby history was secured as a coach, leading the Lions on four tours and earning the nickname The Lion King after recording series wins in Australia (1989) and South Africa (1997). McGeechan also enjoyed success at club level, with London Wasps winning the Powergen Anglo-Welsh Cup, the Heineken Cup and the Guinness Premiership title during his four-year spell as director of rugby, which came to an end in 2009 when he left to lead the Lions for a final time. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2009 and the following year was knighted for his services to rugby.
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Ronald Poulton– Palmer - England Ronald Poulton-Palmer was rugby’s first genuine superstar, a stylish centre who attended Rugby School before studying at Oxford University.
An Oxford blue in both rugby and hockey, Poulton-Palmer scored five tries in the 1909
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Varsity Match, the year he made his debut for England against France. He captained England in 1914, leading the team to a clean-sweep in the Five Nations (a feat which later became known as the Grand Slam). In the tournament’s final game, against France, Poulton-Palmer scored four tries – a record international haul which remained unrivalled for nearly a century. It was to be the final international before the outbreak of the First World War. Just a year later, Poulton-Palmer was killed in action on the Western front. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2015. Nick Mallett - South Africa Born in England and raised in Rhodesia, a seven-year-old Nick Mallett arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, with his family in 1963. Getty After returning to England to study at Oxford University, Mallett’s playing career included spells in France and Italy before he returned to South Africa, earning a brace of caps for the national team. But he found his true calling as a coach, becoming assistant coach of South Africa in 1996 before securing the top job with the Springboks a year later.Under Mallett’s leadership, South Africa won 17 tests on the trot, racking up record wins in the process. After leaving the Springboks, he enjoyed success at club level with Stade Français before taking charge of Italy, who he helped to maiden test wins over both Scotland and France before leaving the post in 2011. @therugbytown
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13. Sheep Street From the top of the High Street, turn right on to Lawrence Sheriff Street and then right again on to Sheep Street, which takes its name from the sheep pens and slaughterhouses which could once be found here, known as ‘The Shambles’. You can also find three plaques on the Pathway of Fame. Billy Boston - Great Britain With astonishing power, swift turn of pace and a ferocious hand-off, Billy Boston ripped up the rugby league record books.
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William Percy Carpmael and The Barbarians William Percy ‘Tottie’ Carpmael founded the Barbarians to celebrate the spirit of the game, encapsulated by the team’s motto: “Rugby Football is a game for gentleman in all classes, but for no bad sportsman in any class.”
Boston went on to score a remarkable 571 tries in 565 games for club and country during a career which spanned 17 years. He was made an MBE in 1986 for services to rugby league and was one of the original inductees of the British Rugby League Hall of Fame.
Six years later he took part in another tour of the north with the Southern Nomads and, after again enjoying both the sporting and social elements of life as a touring rugby player, he pitched the idea of forming the Barbarians to his team mates. Formed in 1890, invitations to play for the Baa-Baas were only extended to those who demonstrated both the skill and the spirit in which Carpmael believed the game should be played. He remained secretary of Barbarians FC until 1902 and later became the club’s president. He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2011. @therugbytown
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Brian Lochore New Zealand A legend of New Zealand rugby, Brian Lochore captained the All Blacks during his playing career and coached his country to victory in the inaugural Rugby World Cup.
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The seeds of the ‘Baa-Baas’ were sown when Carpmael played on Cambridge University’s ‘tour’ of Yorkshire in 1884.
Born in Cardiff, Boston started in union but made the switch to league to join Wigan in 1953. His impact was immediate, scoring a try on his debut, and after just six appearances he was selected for the Great Briton Lions’ tour of Australia and New Zealand.
A lock/number eight, Lochore’s tenacity and industry on the field were matched by his dignity off it. He captained the All Blacks in 18 of his 24 test appearances, scoring seven tries, before finally hanging up his boots in 1971.
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After earning his coaching credentials at club level, Lochore returned to the international set-up as a selector in 1983 before taking over as All Blacks coach as New Zealand prepared to host the first Rugby World Cup. He stepped down after watching the All Blacks lift the Webb Ellis Cup at Auckland’s Eden Park following a 29-9 victory over France. Lochlore was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2011.
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He went on to win 61 caps for Scotland, 20 as captain, and played a major part in the Scots’ Grand Slam of 1990. Hastings toured with the British and Irish Lions on three occasions, including captaining the team on the 1993 tour of New Zealand, and appeared at three Rugby World Cups. His remarkably reliable boot resulted in a career haul of 733 points in all tests. He was awarded the OBE for services to rugby in 1993 and was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013.
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You’re nearly back to where your journey began. Head through Wooll Street from Sheep Street, named after former Rugby School headmaster, Dr John Wooll, and walk towards the World Rugby Hall of Fame and Rugby Art Gallery and Museum. On the walkway leading to the building, you’ll find the final plaques on The Pathway of Fame.
Gavin Hastings Scotland Gavin Hastings was one of the game’s great fullbacks. Calm in defence and forceful in attack, he signalled the arrival Getty of a major talent on his Scotland debut when he kicked six penalties to secure the Scots a nail-biting 18-17 win at Murrayfield.
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JPR Williams Wales A swashbuckling full-back so good he became known simply by his initials – JPR. A legend of Welsh Getty rugby and a master of turning defence into attack, Williams was just 19-years-old when he made his international debut in 1969. One of the icons of the celebrated Welsh teams of the 1970s, he won three Grand Slams and six Triple Crowns, scoring six tries in 55 appearances for his country. Williams was also a key figure in the historic British and Irish Lions teams of 1971 and 1974, and though he retired from international rugby in 1981, he carried on playing club rugby into his 50s, turning out for Tondu Thirds until he finally called time on his playing days in 2003.
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He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2009. Wavell Wakefield – England A superb allround athlete who revolutionised the role of back-row forward, Wavell Wakefield Getty enjoyed a successful playing career with England, Harlequins and Leicester Tigers before becoming president of the Rugby Football Union and entering the world of politics. Wakefield captained the RAF rugby team before joining the Quins, making his debut in 1919. A year later he played for England for the first time and went on to captain the side to back-to-back Grand Slams.
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World Rugby Hall of Fame
He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014.
Scottish and served as club president before becoming president of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1894.
Bill Maclagan Scotland Born in Edinburgh, Bill Maclagan captained the British Isles team which travelled to South Africa in 1891 for what became known as the first official British Lions tour.
His career with Scotland had come to an end by the time he represented the Lions. Maclagan started his international career as full-back in 1878 before switching to threequarters, where his aggressive play proved effective in both defence and attack. He earned 26 caps for his country, eight as captain. At club level, he captained London @therugbytown
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Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum archives
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