Any major sport has its own pioneers; from the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball to Jack Nichlaus in golf.
In rugby, the legend goes that William Webb Ellis picked up the ball during a game of football at Rugby School in 1823, and football and rugby were split from then on.
It took a few years for the sport to spread but gradually clubs began popping up, looking for opposition to play.
Here RUCK runs down the oldest rugby clubs in the game.
10. Cambridge University - 1872
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club (CURUFC) was officially founded in 1872, but it was an evolution of the side created by Albert Pell (from Rugby School) and Edgar Montague (from Shrewsbury) in 1846.
9. Barnes Club - 1858
Local historians insist the club was playing games as early as 1839. However, the year 1858 is the date the club was officially formed, and 1862 is the date given for their first official match.
8. Blackheath - 1858
“In 1858 the Blackheath Football Club was founded by some of the old boys of the school as an open club, and so was born the first rugby club in the world without restricted membership,” so says Blackheath themselves.
7. Edinburgh Academical Football Club - 1857
The club was formed in 1857 and was only open to former pupils of the Edinburgh Academy ‘or those with an association.'”
6. Liverpool - 1857
The club is now known as Liverpool St Helens Football Club, although it shouldn’t be confused with Liverpool FC (soccer) or St Helen’s RFC (rugby league).
5. Trinity College - 1854
It may not be the oldest, but Trinity College can lay claim to being the oldest rugby team in continuous existence, playing the game nonstop (well, not “nonstop,” per say) since 1854.
2=. Marlborough School - 1850
The school has gone on to produce 38 full internationals and four England captains.
2=. Neuenheim College - 1850
Safe to say, it was a surprise to see a German club pop up researching this. In the mid-19th century, a number of affluent British students attended private schools in Germany, bringing the early incarnations of rugby to the country.
2=. Durham Grammar School - 1850
Founded in 1850, it played a large part in helping the development of the game through the end of the 19th century; even the Barbarians played against them in 1897 (in an 18-5 win for the Baa Baas).
1. Guy's Hospital - 1843
The foundation date of Guy’s Hospital Rugby Club in 1843 is accepted by both the Rugby Football Union and the Guinness Book of Records, making Guy’s officially the oldest rugby club in the world.
The date of 1843 is based on evidence predominantly in the form of a card outlining the club’s fixtures in their 40th season from 1883-84.
Other clubs — all listed below (sorry, Trinity, Barnes and Blackheath, in particular) — also lay claim to being the oldest, but lack the same evidence.
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