Any major sport has its own pioneers; from the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball to Jack Nichlaus in golf.
It took a few years for the sport to spread but gradually clubs began popping up, looking for opposition to play.
Here RUCK runs down the oldest rugby clubs in the game.
10. Cambridge University – 1872
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club (CURUFC) was officially founded in 1872, but it was an evolution of the side created by Albert Pell (from Rugby School) and Edgar Montague (from Shrewsbury) in 1846.
9. Barnes Club – 1858
Local historians insist the club was playing games as early as 1839. However, the year 1858 is the date the club was officially formed, and 1862 is the date given for their first official match.
8. Blackheath – 1858
“In 1858 the Blackheath Football Club was founded by some of the old boys of the school as an open club, and so was born the first rugby club in the world without restricted membership,” so says Blackheath themselves.