Rugby Football Union
Founded	1871
IRB affiliation	1890
FIRA affiliation	?
President	Bob Taylor
Men's coach	Martin Johnson
Women's coach	Gary Street
Official website
www.rfu.com

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the rugby union governing body in England. The International Rugby Board (IRB is the world governing and law-making body for the sport of Rugby union, and previously for Rugby football. FIRA was formed in 1934 to promote develop organise and administer the game of rugby union in Europe outside the authority of the International Rugby Board (the world governing body of Robert Bainbridge Taylor (born 30 April 1942) is a former England rugby player and past president of the Rugby Football Union. Martin Osborne Johnson CBE (born 9 March 1970 is a former Rugby union footballer who represented and captained England and Leicester. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Among the Union's chief activities are conferences, organising international matches, and educating and training players and officials. Their publications include handbooks and guides for coaches. Headquarters are at Twickenham, Greater London, inside Twickenham Stadium. Twickenham is a suburb in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London. Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. Twickenham Stadium (usually known as just Twickenham or Twickers) is a Stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond

The national team is called England Rugby. The England national rugby union team represents England in Rugby union. The Rugby Football Union and Premier Rugby Limited (PRL) are partners in a joint venture called England Rugby Limited (ERL) created to manage the elite professional game in England. The RFU's turnover for the year ended 30 June 2007 was £103. The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency 7 million, up from £82. 7 million the previous year. In 2004/05, £18. 9 million was distributed to member clubs. [1]

History

The First England Team, 1871, in the 1st international, vs Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland won by 1 goal & 1 try to 1 try

In 1871 21 English clubs met at a London hostelry to form the Rugby Football Union (RFU), which would draw up rules for the game first played at Rugby school in 1823. Year 1871 ( MDCCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Rugby School, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, is a Co-educational Boarding school and one of the oldest public schools Year 1823 ( MDCCCXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common There would have been 22, but the Wasps' representative never reached that inaugural meeting. (See History of rugby union. The history of rugby union follows from various football games played long before the 19th century but it was not until the middle of that century that rules were formulated )

Similar unions were organised during the next few years in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, France, Canada, South Africa, and the United States. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Until 1885, the laws of rugby union were made by the RFU. However, following a disputed try in an international between Scotland and England, the home unions of Scotland, Ireland and Wales founded the International Rugby Football Board. England refused to take part, stating that they should have greater representation, as they have more clubs.

In 1890, England joined the IRFB.

On 29 August 1895, 22 rugby clubs from across the north of England held a meeting in the George Hotel in Huddersfield, next to the railway station. They voted to secede from the Rugby Football Union and set up their own Northern Rugby Football Union, later known as the Rugby Football League. History See also History of rugby league On 27 August 1895 as a result of an emergency meeting in Manchester prominent Lancashire clubs Broughton Rangers The RFU took strong action against the clubs involved in the formation of the NRFU, all of whom were deemed to have forfeited their amateur status and therefore to have left the RFU. A similar interpretation was applied to all players who played either for or against such clubs, whether or not they themselves received any compensation. Such players were effectively barred sine die from any involvement in organised rugby union. These comprehensive and enduring sanctions, combined with the very localised nature of most rugby competition, meant that most northern clubs had little practical option but to affiliate with the NRFU in the first few years of it existence. Discrimination against rugby league players could verge on the petty - even as late as the 1970s an English rugby union club was instructed to dismiss a cleaner who was married to a professional rugby league player.

The RFU long resisted competitions and leagues fearing that they would encourage foul play and professionalism. The first club competition, then known as the John Player Cup, first took place in 1972.

The RFU agreed to the formation of a league pyramid in 1987.

In 2003, the RFU agreed to merge with the governing body for women's rugby union the RFUW. This has yet to happen.

International connections

Since 1890 the RFU has recognised the International Rugby Board as the world governing and law-making body for the game of Rugby Union. Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The International Rugby Board (IRB is the world governing and law-making body for the sport of Rugby union, and previously for Rugby football. Other countries' governing bodies are often called by a similar name for example, Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU). The Irish Rugby Football Union ( IRFU) (Cumann Rugbaí na hÉireann is the body managing Rugby union in Ireland. See the IRB article for a full list of National Rugby Unions. The International Rugby Board (IRB is the world governing and law-making body for the sport of Rugby union, and previously for Rugby football.

Director of Elite Rugby

In response to the faltering results of the England National Team on August 18 2006 Rob Andrew was appointed by the RFU to undertake the post of Director of Elite Rugby to oversee all aspects of representative rugby in England, from the regional academies to the full senior side, including senior team selection powers and the power to hire and fire coaches at all levels of English rugby. Christopher Robert Andrew MBE (born 18 February 1963 in Richmond Yorkshire) nicknamed "Squeaky" is a former English Rob also has the task of building bridges with the premiership clubs and the RFU in terms of players withdrawal from their club duties for international duties.

See also

• England national rugby union team
• Guinness Premiership
• National Division One
• National Division Two
• National Division Three South
• National Division Three North
• English Rugby Union Leagues
• Powergen Cup
• Powergen National Trophy
• English Colts Club Knockout Cup
• Calcutta Cup
• English Rugby Union teams
• Rugby union in England
• Army Rugby Union

References

External links

• Official website
• Official Photo Store
• Official Travel Company
• Army Rugby Union