From The Vaults

17 February 2015

Their Costume was All Black...

The 1888-89 "New Zealand Natives Football Team" took their final curtain bow on British soil on 27 March 1889.

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17 February 2015

Their Costume was All Black...

The 1888-89 "New Zealand Natives Football Team" took their final curtain bow on British soil on 27 March 1889.

12 February 2015

Family Histories - Samuel George Williams

Like Great Grandfather, Like Son... The Museum was recently contacted by Paul Whitehead, the great-grandson of Devon and England stalwart Samuel George Williams.

10 February 2015

The Mysteries of 'Forever England'

Shane Record's 'Forever England' was unveiled inside the West Stand of Twickenham Stadium in 2014 to commemorate a century since the outbreak of the First World War. It depicts an England side on the cusp of winning the 1914 5-Nations Championship, collecting a second consecutive Grand Slam in the process.

05 February 2015

The 'Real' Triple Crown

In 2006 a silver shield was produced as the physical embodiment of an idea that had existed since 1894. The Triple Crown was first made reference to by the Irish Times in 1894 after Ireland had defeated England, Wales and Scotland in a single season for the first time.

02 February 2015

William Webb Ellis, Are You Mad?

In 1971 the Rugby Football Union produced a promotional film detailing the history and culture of rugby union. It included the following re-enactment of the alleged moment that William Webb-Ellis 'picked up the ball and ran' at Rugby School in 1823.

29 January 2015

PLAYER PROFILE- Jimmy Peters

Jimmy Peters, a relatively unknown figure, was the first Black England International Rugby player. With a fascinating life, Peters should be known as one of the many black icons to have pushed the boundaries for race equality.

25 January 2015

Lest We Forget - Percy Dale Kendall (England) 25/01/1915

Percy Dale Kendall, known as 'Toggie", was born in Prescot, Lancashire. His father and mother, Francis and Margaret, had four children, of whom Percy was the third. Francis was a solicitor.

24 January 2015

Lest We Forget - Charles Gerald Taylor (Wales) 24/01/1915

If Charles Taylor hadn't decided to pursue a naval career he might never have become a rugby player. He was born in Ruabon, north Wales on 8 May 1863, the son of Reverend Alfred and Annie Taylor. His father was headmaster of Ruabon Grammar School, where Charles was educated.

20 January 2015

Stoddart sells the Natives short

In February of 1889, during a test-match against the touring New Zealand Natives, England's AE Stoddart, whilst on the attack, lost a 'portion' of his shorts. As was the custom, Stoddart's team-mates formed a circle around him to protect his modesty whilst he collected himself.

15 January 2015

Amateurism Gone Awry

This 1908 New Zealand Jersey came to the museum by way of Tom Smith, an Anglo-Welsh and Leicester Tigers player from the 1900s. The Museum recently bought his collection at auction and it gives a unique insight into one of rugby union's early tours and the state of amateurism within the game at that time.

06 January 2015

INTERVIEW - Colin Meads

Colin Meads was a true giant of the game, his hulking physical presence terrorising defences and dominating line-outs across three decades from 1957 to 1971.

30 December 2014

I remember when...

Twickenham Stadium Tour Guide Andy Bustin recalls his earliest experiences of the game and a first trip to Twickenham back in 1967...

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