Australian Rugby Union

Rugby is a game that is played in over 120 countries throughout the world. Much of its value comes from its rich history, traditions, camaraderie and community involvement with the sport.

Children as young as six greatly enjoy rugby through non-contact versions of the game. The modified versions of Rugby in Australia, created for safety and pathway development include: Walla rugby (7-8 yrs), Mini rugby (9-10yrs) and Midi rugby (11-12 yrs).

Womens rugby is also very popular at clubs and schools while many men continue to play on well into their adult years. Rugby is played both as a 15-a-side game, and is also very popular as seven-a-side. Other lesser-played versions are ten-a-side and touch rugby, where no tackling is allowed.

The object of the game is that two teams of fifteen players each, should score as many points as possible, by carrying, passing, kicking and grounding the ball with the team scoring the greater number of points being the winner of the match. It is classified as an end zone invasion game. The aim of each team is to gain possession of the ball, take it into opposition territory and to place it in the in-goal area (end zone).

History of the ARU

1899 Australian Team
1908 SS Omrah
1953 Aust v South Africa, Solomon chaired
1963 Australia v South Africa
1949 Bledisloe Cup
1976 Australia v France
1979 Bledisloe Cup

There are reports of early games of rugby between the army and the crews of visiting ships being played at Barrack Square in the city in the 1820s. Formally, rugby union began in Australia with the formation of the first clubs. The oldest of these is the Sydney University Club, which was formed in 1864. By 1874 there were enough clubs to form a Sydney Metropolitan competition and in that year the Southern Rugby Union was established, administered from Twickenham in England.