160. The Birth of Super League – 25 Years On

Thursday 8 April is the anniversary of the 1995 meeting in Wigan when British rugby league agreed with Rupert Murdoch’s News Ltd to switch to a summer Super League. It was part of the biggest revolution rugby had seen since 1895.

Not only was rugby league changed forever, but rugby union was forced to embrace open professionalism. This week’s ‘Rugby Reloaded’ examines the birth of Super League in Britain, looks at rugby union’s dash for cash, and assesses the legacy of those dramatic days for the British game.

For more on the history of rugby and the other football codes, take a look at www.rugbyreloaded.com (where you can find the links for this episode) and follow me on Twitter at @collinstony