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Rugby history goes back long into the 19th century and even earlier. In 1800's formalities were introduced to football rules in the seven major public schools of England. Six of the seven schools were largely playing the same game while the seventh, Rugby School (founded in 1567) at Warwickshire, was playing a markedly different version of football.

The much revered tale is that in 1823 the young Rugby School student, William Webb Ellis, "in a fine disregard for the rules" picked up the ball and ran with it. By the 1830's at Rugby School, running with the ball was in common use, the goal posts had been extended to 18 feet high (with a cross-bar at 10 feet above the ground) and there were forms of scrummaging and line-outs. The inclusion of the cross-bar was accompanied by a rule that a goal could only be scored by the ball passing over the bar from a place kick or drop kick. The rules were first seriously agreed upon and documented when former Rugby students and clubs wanted to commence formal competitions outside of the Rugby School in 1862. Many of the clubs that formed around this period would later become rugby league clubs.

From 1875 when games finished without any goals being scored, the team which had the most "tries-at-goal" was awarded the win. From 1886 three "tries" equaled one goal in points, before the balance finally moved to giving more value to the scoring of tries. By 1893 the scoring was much closer to what we know today - a try was worth three points, a converted try five points, three for a penalty goal and four for a field goal. However, the rugby game was still very brutal and raw with 71 deaths recorded in English rugby from 1890 to 1893 alone.

The Rugby Football Union had been formed in 1871 by representatives of 21 clubs - all of which were located in southern England and most were within London. However, divisions in the "rugby" game gave birth to two new sports - rugby league and rugby union.