147. The Ghost Player at the Roses Match

It’s widely believed that William Wollen’s famous rugby painting of ‘The Roses Match’ accidentally reveals ‘ghost players’, men who joined the Northern Union and were later painted out of the picture. This week’s ‘Rugby Reloaded’ looks at the history of rugby’s most memorable masterpiece and explores the truth behind the ‘painted out players’ story. As one myth is debunked, the painting reveals yet more mysteries and the latest research uncovers new facts about the painting.

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