A slice WA Rugby History!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redbull
Don't forget that AFL also traces its roots back to the early days of rugby.
Quite true Redbull - infact Rugby started in Perth in 1867 the WA 14th Foot defeated a visiting Melbourne team (Thank God, some thing don't change) and 2 games against a Perth colony team (results not recorded). 1868 the Perth Garrison played against visiting ships.
From 1868 Perth Boys School played Fremantle Boys School on an irregular basis up until the early 1900 when that Fremantle Boys School closed. 1877 saw the formation of the Perth Rugby Football club and in 1878 the formation of a rival club Bishops Hale (eventually to become Hale School).
1881 saw the formation of a Town XV as laws began to be formed.
1882 saw other clubs springing up left, right and centre - Along with Town, Perth and Bishops Hale, came Rover's, Fremantle, Unions and Fearnoughts.
In 1885 Fremantle Football club led a revolt that Rugby never quite recovered from and almost died altogether. The "Victorian game" was born.
Odd uncompetative games we're played until 1892 when James Wilkinson of the Weld Club formed a XV, along with the English Association and the Perth Rugby Club came out of mothballs to compete again. Half way through the season there was a breakaway from Fremantle Football club and the Swans were formed and in Perth, the Pirates were formed by Welsh settlers, led by Earnest Rhys Tobias.
These men helped form the WARU on 30th May 1893 and the very first competition match was played between Swans and Pirates on the Esplanade on 10th June, which the Swans win 11-5 and as the saying goes "the rest is History"