Rugby quotes

This stone commemorates the exploit of William Webb Ellis, who, with a fine disregard for therules of football as played in his time, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it, thus originating the distinctive feature of the Rugby game.1823.

-Anonymous
ADPlaque at Rugby School.

What happens when a game of football is proposed at Christmas among a party of young men assembled from different schools? Alas!† The Eton man is enamoured of his own rules, and turns up his nose at Rugbyas not sufficiently aristocratic; while the Rugbeian retorts that 'bullying'and 'sneaking'are not to his taste, and he is not afraid of his shins, or of a 'maul'or 'scrimmage'.On hearing this the Harrovian pricks up his ears, and though he might previously have sided with Rugby, the insinuation against the courage of those who do not allow 'shinning'arouses his ire, and causes him to refuse to lay with one who has offered it. Thus it is found impossible to get up a game.

-Anonymous
Editorial in The Field newspaper, illustrating the confusion before the codification of the rules of football and rugby.