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Don Basilio
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« on: 11:05:25, 27-03-2008 » |
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The Welsh are The Original Britons. And they invented Rugby football and have Thighs to Rival The Song of Soloman (and Gavin Henson to boot)  Surely it is only a matter of time before some rugby player gives his celebrity endorsement to such products as produce truly alabaster smoothness on muscular thighs. "Gavin says, I can tackle anything with NAIR." On second thoughts, it will be soccer players who use depilatory creams. On the basis that there is no Gain without Pain, Real Men Wax. |
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To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
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John W
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« Reply #1 on: 20:23:16, 27-03-2008 » |
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they invented Rugby football
Eh?   |
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Antheil
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« Reply #2 on: 20:37:42, 27-03-2008 » |
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they invented Rugby football
Eh? But you see, in 1403 Prince Owain called upon Cadwgan of Treorci in support of the attack upon the English who had come out from Cardiff to halt the Welsh advance. Cadwgan had then ridden around the Rhondda calling out to the warriors of Blaenau Morgannwg.... Calling out “Hogia” ! Hogia! Hogia! …………………… Hence our Rugby cry of Oggi, Oggi, Oggi, Oi, Oi, Oi It's history. You cannot argue with that can you? |
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Reality, sa molesworth 2, is so sordid it makes me shudder
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Tony Watson
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« Reply #3 on: 20:43:58, 27-03-2008 » |
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I think there were lots of rough games involving a ball or similar object throughout the middle ages in various parts of Britain. But a lot of the sport as we know it today - especially football (soccer), rugby and cricket - came about because of the need to occupy the time and energy of boarders at British public schools in the Victorian period. Lytton Strachey, in the chapter on Thomas Arnold from his book Eminent Victorians is worth a read on this. The discipline that Arnold established at Rugby, partly through expelling the worst offenders, was much admired. Organized games came soon after and this was seen by the rest of the country, and other countries, as A GOOD THING. (Strachey bemoans the loss of liberties that pupils had had, with the time to pursue their own interests.)
The Webb Ellis story is a bit dubious. Any boy breaking the rules so brazenly would simply have been rebuked but it is possible that he did make a point that day. But really, it's Rugby's way of laying claim to THEIR game. Others may play it if they want but they should remember whose game it really is. That was one cause of the bitterness when the union and league versions diverged.
And it was seen to be such a good thing that France adopted it. Whilst the British empire was at its height, the French were having political problems with their various Napoleons. If their sons played rugby, it was thought, perhaps they would grow up to become strong leaders and rival Britain.
Having said that, I've no time for the game. If grown men want to play it, that's their choice, but I don't think it should be played in schools. There's too much potential for a broken neck in a scrum.
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« Last Edit: 20:50:05, 27-03-2008 by Tony Watson »
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Antheil
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« Reply #4 on: 20:54:26, 27-03-2008 » |
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Indeed, as Iolo Morgannwg records, it is a little known historical fact that Llywelyn Bren, Lord of Senghenydd, cut off an English tax collector’s head and tossed it to a gathered crowd of local Welsh, who upon being chased by English soldiers, gleefully ran around tossing the unfortunate tax collector’s head to each other until, finally, one of Llywelyn Bren’s sons drop kicked the head over the gate of Caerphilly Castle.
Whoever invented it, it's a wonderful game. Oh, did I mention, Wales won the Triple Crown and the Grand Slam and not a Tax Inspectors's head to be seen?
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Reality, sa molesworth 2, is so sordid it makes me shudder
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John W
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« Reply #5 on: 21:06:28, 27-03-2008 » |
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Atherstone (Warks.) still have THEIR game  |
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martle
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« Reply #6 on: 22:13:35, 27-03-2008 » |
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Nonsense, John. That picture is taken in the Pontypridd village hall and the annual ritual celebrates the true founding father of rugby, Grab-ys-Balls - a 2nd century bard and visionary, originally from Scymru.
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Green. Always green.
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John W
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« Reply #7 on: 22:51:06, 27-03-2008 » |
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Yeah, martle  |
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Don Basilio
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« Reply #8 on: 11:28:21, 28-03-2008 » |
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« Last Edit: 11:32:03, 28-03-2008 by Don Basilio »
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To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
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time_is_now
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« Reply #9 on: 14:43:05, 28-03-2008 » |
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Thank you for that, Don B.  |
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The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
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