Everyone loves rugby facts that not many are aware of and so back in April 2020, one chap got a serious discussion going by asking folks to share rugby facts that sound "extremely fake" but are in fact legitimate.
A whole host of mad facts about many different players and teams surfaced and so here are 20 of the very best.
RUGBY FACTS:
1. England have scored one try in FOUR World Cup finals
Unfortunately true, Jason Robinson's try in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final is the men in whites only score. Arguably Mark Cueto should have doubled that tally in 2007, but that is a discussion for another day.
2. Basketball was actually created by a rugby coach who wanted some form of indoor sporting activity to keep his players conditioned when it was off-season!
Knew we liked basketball for a reason.
3. Owen Farrell has never won the Premiership Player of the Month award
Yes, despite being England's premier fly-half for almost a decade, the Saracens man has never been crowned player of the month. Danny Cipriani (2), George Ford, Joe Simmonds and Freddie Burns have all won the award in recent seasons.
4. The All Blacks had no red cards between 1967 and 2017, when Sonny Bill Williams was sent off against the Lions.
That is just mental.
5. Wayne Shelford tore his scrotum in a match against France. He got stitched up and returned to the field.
That must have hurt.
6. Joe Marler has scored more tries for the Lions than Manu Tuilagi, Mike Tindall and Jonny May combined
Indeed, the prop who has failed to score for his country did touch down in one of the warm-up matches during the 2017 tour of New Zealand.
7. Ellis Genge could be Muhammad Ali’s great-grandson…
The intriguing links between Ali and the Leicester prop stem from Genge’s grandmother, according to The Mirror.
8. A hooker was the first ever World Player of the Year
Keith Wood remains the only front-rower to win the award 21 years later.
9. England's 2003 Rugby World Cup-winner Ben Cohen's Uncle, George, was the right-back for the England side that won the 1966 World Cup
Talented family all-around.
10. Jonah Lomu met Robin Williams in 1998 and the pair remained friends for life
We miss them both. The way they met is a great story.
11. Alun Wyn Jones lost on his 1st, 50th, 100th and 150th cap
The loss against Italy on his 150th must have stung the worst.
12. Twickenham stadium sells around 160,547 pints each match
Outrageous
13. In 2007 Bryan Habana, who has clocked 10.2s for the 100m, raced against a cheetah as part of a conservation campaign.
For once he finished as a runner-up.
14. Gloucester have been runners-up in the Premiership FIVE times without winning the darn thing
Hard life supporting the Cherry & Whites who on top of that have finished top of the table three times.
15. The first ever rugby balls were made by a Richard Lindon who fashioned it out of hand stitched leather casing and pigs’ bladders.
Gruesome.
16. Owen Farrell wasn't always named Owen Farrell
He was not at first registered as a Farrell, but took mum Colleen’s family name of O’Loughlin. The couple married in 1995, changing Owen’s surname to Farrell the following year.
17. England legend Martin Johnson actually played for New Zealand first.
However, what you might not know is that All Blacks legend Colin Meads invited the raw but promising teenager to New Zealand to play for the King Country province in 1989 and Johnson, who took up the offer, would go on to be capped by New Zealand U21s.
18. In 2012, following his Scotland debut, Stuart Hogg discovered he was a distant relative of football legend George Best.
Totally insane.
19. The notion of singing a national anthem before a sporting event originated at a rugby match
Makes sense.
20. Scotland have never beaten New Zealand
Wait, that is totally believable.
EDITORS PICKS:
- Fine list at amateur rugby club makes hilarious reading
- Rugby’s Ultimate Sh**house XV – Dirtiest Rugby Players
- Trim Manu Tuilagi looks in incredible shape ahead of new season
- Dean Richards first role since leaving Newcastle Falcons confirmed
- Saracens make shock swoop for former England and Harlequins star
