Description
The inspiration behind the Vintage Old Boys Rugby Polo Shirt 1871
Produced by Ellis Rugby, the vintage Old Boys Rugby Polo Shirt is an exceptional quality shirt inspired by the early beginnings of the game. The game of Rugby Football developed in the early years due to ‘Old Boys’ forming football clubs. Once they’d left school and gone into industry.
This is evident from the formation of the game. The majority of the founder clubs were made up of Old Rugbeians or Old Marlburians. The clubs came together in 1871 and the first job of the new organisation was to form a committee to agree the laws of the game. This consisted of three former students of Rugby School, all from the legal profession. There was founding president Algernon Rutter. Along with two fellow Old Rugbeians, Edward Carleton Holmes and Leonard James Maton. Who set to work on drafting the rules, 59 in all, a process that took five months. They complete in June 1871.
There were no specific rules about the number of players on a team. Generally, it was around 20 players per team. Over time, clubs soon realised that a smaller number of players created more space on the field and allowed more room to run. And it also made it easier to form teams and organise away journeys. By 1877, 15 had become the standard number of players in a team.
Guy’s Hospital Football Club
The world’s first and oldest “football club” the Guy’s Hospital Football Club, established in London in 1843. The old boys from Rugby School formed it. The club, representing the medics of Guy’s Hospital, in Southwark, London, is accepted as being the oldest rugby club in the world and therefore the first football club. They originally played on Blackheath and after the formation of Blackheath FC in 1858, Guy’s shared a dressing room with them in the Princess of Wales hotel from 1862. Guy’s Hospital also had representation on the founding committee by J. H. Ewart, one of thirteen places on that original committee.
Manufactured from 100% chunky pique cotton, this Ellis Rugby Vintage Old Boys Rugby Polo Shirt 1871 features detailed embroidery of the Old Boys crest, contrast inner placket, arm rib and collar stand.
The available sizes are S to 4XL.
As well as the Vintage Old Boys Rugby Polo Shirt 1871 we also offer a Vintage Rugby Shirt Ellis Rugby Old Boys and T-Shirt.