From The Vaults

09 January 2023

What’s in a Referee’s library? by Keith Gregson

Keith Gregson explores the recently discovered personal library of referee Alan Bean...

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09 January 2023

What’s in a Referee’s library? by Keith Gregson

Keith Gregson explores the recently discovered personal library of referee Alan Bean...

19 December 2022

#FromTheVaults - Snow at Twickenham

This month, we’re highlighting some photographs in our collection which show action from a rugby match which was played in very wintry conditions...

12 December 2022

Rugby in the Middle East by Richard Thom

Rugby in the Middle East was a surprising phenomenon. Its beginnings from the sand pitches for which it is famed now stand as a testament to the spirit and ingenuity of the players that embodies the game in this region...

05 December 2022

New Zealand Rugby Records

The Rugby Almanack of New Zealand was first published in 1935 containing details of New Zealand first class rugby matches from the previous year. The Almanack has continued to be issued ever since then covering every subsequent season of New Zealand rugby...

28 November 2022

A 19th century club match

One of the joys of researching in a museum is finding an item that has perhaps not been touched or looked at for a very long time. Such an item in the collection of the World Rugby Museum is the programme for a rugby match between Cambridge University and Blackheath played 125 years ago at the University Ground in Grange Road on Saturday 20 November 1897...

14 November 2022

#FromTheVaults - L.A.N. Slocock letter, 1916

Following Remembrance Day, our object of the month is the last known letter sent home from the Western Front by England international, Lancelot Andrew Noel Slocock...

11 November 2022

First Brave Blossoms on Film

Footage has emerged of the first time that the Japanese national rugby team took to the field, in a game against Vancouver in 1930 during a tour to Canada...

04 November 2022

The Birth of Championship Rugby in Argentina

In the year 1899, the first club rugby championship was played in Argentina. This article by Eduardo García Sáenz is a tribute to the players, their families, and their clubs, for the vision put into action, in 1899...

03 November 2022

Newport Ladies, 1917

While it was uncommon for women to play rugby union in the early twentieth century, some seized short opportunities afforded to them by the significant changes to society brought on by the First World War...

31 October 2022

Irish Warrior: The Paddy Mayne Story

To coincide with the new BBC drama, SAS Rogue Heroes, we're looking at the story of Blair "Paddy" Mayne, the Ireland International rugby player who went on to be recruited into the Special Air Service...

27 October 2022

Contact Sport

Anna Shilonosova is a documentary photographer and a lens-based artist originally from Russia, currently living in the East End area of London. She has produced a photo book, ‘Contact Sport’, and will be giving an artist talk and presenting her project on October, 27 2022 in the Lord Nelson pub (1 Manchester road, E14 3BD) at 19:00.

20 October 2022

Sending off is no longer the ultimate disgrace?

When the All Black second row forward Cyril Brownlie was sent off the field in the tenth minute of the match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham on January 3rd 1925, it caused a sensation...

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