Talk:History of rugby

We need to know what the rules of rugby are.

We also need to know the difference between the sports called "rugby league" and "rugby union". By the way, these are confusing terms for Americans, because "a rugby league" sounds like "a baseball league" and would denote a group of teams who compete against each other. --Ed Poor 10:24, 12 May 2007 (EDT)

Possibly the easiest way to do this would be by capitalising the names of the games, Rugby Union and Rugby League, as the latter is always referred to as Rugby League, or, more simply (and perhaps confusingly) as just 'League'. Thus one could have a League league. I'll make on or two edits - I think Stephen overstates the middle-classness of Union (it was played widely, for example, in the mining valleys of south Wales); and I'd say the south of England rather than south of Britain, as 'northern England' is mainly in the southern half of Great Britain. Alba 10:35, 12 May 2007 (EDT)

I accept I oversimplify, it is to describe the difference and the history rather than to explain the current state of the games. To explain the difference in the sports now would be to go into the technicalities of the rules. I intend to feature South Wales later, as it is, as you suggest, significant. Excuse me if I am initially simplistic, it is just until I manage to write the many thousands of words necessary for a complete picture. stevendavy

Rugby in America

As this is a site mostly for Americans, I would recommend that a history of rugby in the US would be useful. The USA competes at the Rugby World Cup and, while not a strong contender for the title, manages to put in a good showing. The Eagles were Olympic rugby champions in the twenties if memory serves. Ajkgordon 11:16, 10 October 2007 (EDT)

Not only did the USA win the gold medal in the 1920s, but as it has not been played at the Olympics since, they are the current holders of the gold Stevendavy 11:59, 10 October 2007 (EDT)