Posted by Peter H on June 20, 2001 at 19:44:19 from 213.122.177.39:
In Reply to: Re: Which football do you think? posted by Adam Quinan on June 20, 2001 at 11:07:21:
Yes, but not just at Rugby School. At my own school (a Grammar, I hasten to add) in the 1950's, the school game was referred to (by the masters) as 'rugby union football'. Amongst the boys, it was called just 'rugby' and 'football' meant soccer, the game we would all rather have played. However, this old linking of 'rugby' with the word 'football' is perpetuated today by the initials 'RUFC' in the title of many a rugby club in the UK. In AR's day, and in his circles, 'football' would have meant 'rugger'. I can remember the word being used thus up to 20 years ago, but rarely since.
The historical reason for this is, I presume, that football came first, and is a very ancient game. On that famous day at Rugby School in the last century, the ball was picked up, and the player ran with it. Anyone who remembers the TARS Midland Region visit to Rugby School some years ago will remember us visiting the playing field where that incident occurred (or so they say).