Shows / The Rugby History Project Podcast
The Rugby History Project Podcast
The home of rugby history. Every body means everybody. Find more at https://therugbyhistoryproject.com
Episodes
The Rugby History Project PodcastThe England Captain Who Played For Wales
If you Google 'first Black captain of England rugby', you will be shown results featuring Jason Robinson. Whilst Robinson's captaincy against Canada in 2004…
The Rugby History Project PodcastWhy (Some) Northerners Play Rugby League
Butter statues, Reverends, and Andy Burnham: The Story Behind Rugby's Worst Break-UpIn 1895, class, geography, and politics split a footballing code in half…
The Rugby History Project PodcastSend Offs and the Sin Bin
Who was really on the receiving end of the first red card? Are the sin bin and a yellow card the same thing?? Did the Springboks really invent the sin bin??…
The Rugby History Project PodcastRugby's First Nause
Before the likes of the Squidge Brothers, Huw Griffin, or even the aptly titled Rugby Nause, there was Arthur Conan Doyle. In 2026, nauses are able to share…
The Rugby History Project Podcast'In His Own Little Spiritual World': The Lives of Carwyn James
Carwyn James' life was one of many segments. Remembered primarily for his achievements with the British and Irish Lions, his personal life and navy career are…
The Rugby History Project PodcastFootball v Soccer: What's in a Name?
With the FIFA Men's World Cup just around the corner, the debate on football v soccer is already heating up. But which is the correct term? Is there a correct…
The Rugby History Project PodcastHow It All Began: The first-ever Women's International Rugby Test Match and the legacy of the Utrecht Shield
On the 13th June 1982, the Netherlands and France took part in the first-ever women's international test match. Whilst the Netherlands lost at home, France…
The Rugby History Project PodcastWhen The Roses Wilted
Following their 2014 Rugby World Cup win, the Red Roses recorded their worst-ever result in the Six Nations. This is the tale of how the World discovered the…
The Rugby History Project PodcastA Very Brief History of the Women’s Six Nations
Founded in 1996 as the Women’s Home Nations Championship, the tournament has grown significantly over the last thirty years. This is the tale of the seven…
The Rugby History Project Podcast‘We’d just thought you’d go away’: A Brief Early History of Women’s Rugby in The USA
How a counter-culture movement and a landmark civil rights case created the first World Cup winners.In the Autumn of 1972, two groups of Colorado university…
The Rugby History Project PodcastThe 'Monkey' Who Almost Had Wales Kicked Out of the Home Nations
Just a few years after the first official Home Nations tournament, the then very small rugby world would be torn apart by one man and his house. Check out more…
The Rugby History Project PodcastA Brief History of the Weird World of the Men's Six Nations
In February and March every year, the rugby world is gripped by five rounds of the highest level of men's European international rugby. The way in which the…
The Rugby History Project PodcastWinter Olympics Special: When Great Britain 'Stole' Gold
In 1936, Great Britain shocked the hockey world by taking gold at the Winter Olympics. Many myths surround this team; this Winter Olympics Special looks at the…
The Rugby History Project PodcastWhen Wales Lost a Region: The Tale of the Celtic Warriors
After months of speculation, on the 24th October 2025, the Welsh Rugby Union announced that they would be cutting the number of men's professional teams from…
The Rugby History Project PodcastChasing the Egg: A Short History of the Rugby Ball
If you asked most people to describe a ball, they would describe a round sphere. However, in the sport of rugby, we use a bizarre ellipsoidal ball. Lovingly…
The Rugby History Project PodcastMeet the Valentines: The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of the Irish Women’s National Rugby Team
On the 30th September 2024, Irish rugby fans woke up to the news that the Ireland had beaten New Zealand. Fans of the men's team rejoiced that the women's team…
The Rugby History Project PodcastWhy is Rugby Union Posh?
In many countries, rugby union is considered to be a sport for the middle classes. Stereotypically played in private schools by the sons of professionals, the…
The Rugby History Project PodcastEmily Valentine: The Female William Webb Ellis?
The full text of this podcast, including images, citations, and notes, can be found here…
The Rugby History Project PodcastBarrette: The Original Female Rugby Code?
The full text of this podcast, including images, citations, and notes, can be found here…
The Rugby History Project Podcast'I wanted to play for Wales with my whole heart': An Exploration of the Players Lost to Welsh Rugby Due To Racism
The full text of this podcast, including images, citations, and notes, can be found here…
The Rugby History Project PodcastThe Legacy of Las Leonas: The Addition, Success and Removal of Spain in the Women’s Six Nations
The full text of this podcast, including images, citations, and notes, can be found here…
The Rugby History Project PodcastOhhhh Canada: The Canadian Women’s National Rugby Team have succeeded against all odds, but where do they go from here?
The full text of this podcast, including images, citations, and notes, can be found here…
The Rugby History Project PodcastThe cases of Sione Tuipulotu and Alfred Clunies-Ross: a brief look at the relationship between rugby and the diaspora
The full text of this podcast, including images, citations, and notes, can be found here…