The Rugby Union World Cup begins today (20 September) in Japan, one of the biggest casinos in the history of the game. For Rugby Union, the governing body of World Rugby, their decision to take on the showpiece tournament - and the biggest money-spinner - is a big step into the unknown for a sport in one of the traditional countries and in an emerging market, a century and a half. A half game, has shown itself to be one of the most enduring conservative institutions around.
The game was founded for the middle and upper classes of England, and has largely attempted to be authentic to the roots that have been possible until now. In the early 30 years since the foundation of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) in 1871, his view of social stratification - read: reluctance of his players and administrators who wanted to talk to people who were not wealthy, white and British - Football became the dominant global football code to overtake them and spew divisions within their sport that created rugby league. Crux faces opposition to professionalism and any form of remuneration for players. His staunch opposition to paying players stemmed from the overt class prejudices of the game's founders, who could not believe that working-class people could be superior to them in anything and if they were, it should be because They were paying. The best way to avoid losing to your social inferiorities was not simply to play against them.
When football started the World Cup in 1930, rugby league in 1954 and cricket in 1975, rugby union remained completely without one. "The RFU and most International Rugby Board (IRB, precursors of World Rugby) nations saw a World Cup as opening the door to professionalism," said Tony Collins, author of Rugby and How Football Began are both leading historians of the code. Major history of the formation of all football codes. "He also considered league and cup competitions. Touring sides have always faced the problem of paying players while they were away from home and the IRB knots itself into the level of expenses paid to touring players. Tied. For this to the rugby union. At the time, the entire prison was amateurish. "
What may be even more shocking to the modern reader is that one of the major factors of the Rugby Union was the approval of the World Cup to South Africa. Despite almost every other sport in the world, the apartheid apartheid regime was stripped of their competitions - football did in 1963, followed by the International Olympic Committee and the 1970 International Cricket Conference - South Africa IRB during apartheid with major nations Membership maintained. England continued to play well against him in the 1980s.
"South Africa was not allowed to participate until the 1995 Rugby World Cup (after apartheid ended). For the reason that the IRB agreed to a World Cup, there were fears that South Africa could host a 'rebel' World Cup Could. " The South Africa tour was already being paid for and there was a danger that it would spin out of control. "When the meeting was called in 1985 to discuss the organization of the World Cup, Australia, New Zealand and France were in favor of it, while England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales were against the home nations. The eighth voting party, of course, being South African, whose pro-World Cup stance supported England and Wales over the idea. That said, South Africa was not allowed to participate in the first two editions, and it is thought that the Soviet Union, which would have it in 1987,
For two dissenting votes, Collins further states: "Ireland and Scotland were traditionally the most obstinate of amateur principles. Throughout the history of the game, the Scottish Rugby Union often criticized the RFU for being inconsistent in opposing professionalism." was." Wales' opposition to professionalism became significantly more expensive in the 1985 leadup, as their players were, in contrast to the greater England, Ireland and Scotland, predominantly working class - having lost to professionalism in rugby league.
Once the tournament was decided to be held, it did not look back. As many had feared, professionalism eventually took hold, although there is no reason to suggest that it would not have happened anyway. Nevertheless, the opportunity to compete globally in a recognized World Cup has done wonders for the rugby union, particularly in growing the sport outside the traditional fields. This tournament in Japan will hope to show how much the game has progressed since 1987: with the hope that it will further influence the forces of expansion.