From The Vaults

18 July 2023

Uncapped half backs in Lions tests 1891-1939

England has supplied some distinguished half backs to the ranks of British and Irish Lions in recent test series, but surprisingly there were relatively few capped English players selected for Lions test matches prior to 1939...

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18 July 2023

Uncapped half backs in Lions tests 1891-1939

England has supplied some distinguished half backs to the ranks of British and Irish Lions in recent test series, but surprisingly there were relatively few capped English players selected for Lions test matches prior to 1939...

10 July 2023

Allez Les Bleus: A Brief History of France at the Women’s Rugby World Cups

As one of the driving forces behind the development of the women’s game, it is not surprising that France has consistently entered one of the strongest teams in the women’s Rugby World Cup.

03 July 2023

Allez les Bleus illustrations

The illustrations and cartoons reproduced in our current exhibition, Allez Les Bleus, chart the growing popularity of rugby in France during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. This week’s blog explores the stories behind some of these illustrations. The images were kindly supplied by Frederic Humbert.

26 June 2023

The Ghost Player by Andrew Rishworth

‘The Roses Match’ by William Barnes Wollen hangs on the wall of the President’s Suite in the West Stand of Twickenham Stadium. In this article, Andrew Rishworth shares an extract of his research on the subject...

19 June 2023

Setting Fire to the Mud

In 2003 the Rugby Football Union (RFU) utilised the stage and screen actor Peter O’Toole to front a campaign called ‘Rugby Making an Impact’...

13 June 2023

The First Women's International

It’s been 41 years since women’s rugby took another huge leap forward with the very first international match on 13 June 1982. Holland v France would go down in history as a significant moment in the development of the sport, driven forward by passionate individuals and contested by committed players...

05 June 2023

The 'Garryowen' - Ireland’s secret weapon

Garryowen Football Club is one many great Irish rugby clubs, but its unique feature is that it has a particular facet of the rugby union game named after it...

29 May 2023

History Makers: The Red Roses

29 April 2023 saw the Red Roses play France in Twickenham Stadium’s first ‘stand-alone’ women’s rugby test-match. The day before, a special unveiling ceremony took place in the England Dressing Room...

22 May 2023

The Battle of the Roses by Andrew Rishworth

‘The Battle of the Roses’ is a painting by William Barnes Wollen RI that was completed in 1895. Also known as ‘The Roses Match’, it is based on the rugby union match between Yorkshire and Lancashire on Saturday 24 November 1894...

15 May 2023

#FromTheVaults - Fijian seven-dollar note

As the World Sevens Series arrives at Twickenham this weekend, we are shining a spotlight on these unusual Fijian banknotes in our collection...

09 May 2023

England’s first tour to the southern hemisphere 1963

In the summer of 1963, an England tour party embarked on an historic tour of New Zealand and Australia...

17 April 2023

Meet the force behind the formation of Wasps Women

Sue Martineau, nee Bennett, played back row for Wasps, Loughborough, and England B, with only a broken arm preventing her from playing for the national team. Explore how this influential woman changed the rugby landscape in the 1980s...

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