From The Vaults

14 May 2018

First Reserve - AH Walker

First Reserve - AH Walker The late 1920s and 1930s were an interesting period of development for the roles now associated with the tight-five. Toft and Walker represented two sides of the coin in this development.

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14 May 2018

First Reserve - AH Walker

First Reserve - AH Walker The late 1920s and 1930s were an interesting period of development for the roles now associated with the tight-five. Toft and Walker represented two sides of the coin in this development.

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07 May 2018

The Western Samoa disaster tour of 1992

After Cyclone Val devastated the Western Samoan islands, a team of rugby players were sponsored in 1992 to tour England in support of the ‘Pass the Ball for Samoa’ appeal.

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18 April 2018

Golden Oldies descend on Christchurch

Golden Oldies descend on Christchurch

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09 April 2018

Flying Below the Radar

In later life Dickie Guest developed a capacity for flying below the radar. But that was certainly not the case on either side of World War Two when Guest, born 100 years ago on March 12th 1918, was one of the highest profile players in English rugby.

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30 October 2017

William Webb Ellis and the Origins of Rugby - a new perspective

Did William Webb Ellis really pick up the ball and run in 1823? If so, did this act originate the game of rugby football?

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17 July 2017

The Plight of the Northern Amateur

This work is based on cuttings in a scrapbook given to me in my capacity as archivist of Ashbrooke Sports Club in Sunderland, home of Sunderland RFC (founded 1873).

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10 April 2017

Rugby Memorabilia - Not just for rugby enthusiasts…

Player interviews in programmes can reveal a rapid changing taste in entertainment, fashion and cars - how we now laugh at the selection of a Ford Granada as a players dream car! Changes in technology are demonstrated in programmes.

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20 March 2017

Santa Clara v Stanford, 1916

The University of California had taken up rugby in 1906, along with Stanford University, California's top athletic and academic rival. It was to be the start of a great rugby rivalry. Both teams were strong.

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16 January 2017

How to research and write a club history by Keith Gregson

Writer and historian Keith Gregson uses his experiences in researching Sunderland Rugby Club's past to open a debate on writing rugby club histories.

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07 January 2017

Death of a Forward

The Tragic First World War tale of Sunderland Rugby Football Club's James Harry Edwards (1894 -1917) puts the First World War into sharp focus.

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31 October 2016

How the city of Bradford helped shape the early history of Rugby Football

Ask a rugby enthusiast to name the traditional giants of English rugby and the chances are that Bradford would not come to mind. Yet immediately prior to the 1895 split, the Park Avenue club was considered alongside Newport and Blackheath as one of the leading sides in the British Isles.

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17 October 2016

The Gould Case

The following is an extract from 'One Among Many: the Story of Sunderland Rugby Football Club' by Keith Gregson.

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