167. Rugby Union, Poetry & World War One

This week ‘Rugby Reloaded’ looks at the literature and poetry of rugby union, and explores how its patriotic message helped the game expand dramatically after World War One.

‘Tom Brown’s Schooldays’ helped launch rugby union in the mid-19th century and its themes became part of the sport’s culture. But World War One gave rugby union its most important moral mission, and its success in promoting its militarist message meant the 1920s became the decade of the ‘Rush to Rugby’.

For more on the history of rugby, soccer, 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