Rugby Football Union

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RFU
Union	Rugby Football Union
Coach	Andy Robinson
Captain	Martin Corry
Most caps	Jason Leonard (114)
Top scorer	Jonny Wilkinson (884)
Team colours
First international
(also the world's first) Scotland 4 - 1 England (27 March 1871)
Largest win
England 134 - 0 Romania (17 November 2001)
Worst defeat
Australia 76 - 0 England (6 June 1998)
World Cup
Appearances	5 (First in 1987)
Best result	Champions, 2003

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the rugby union governing body in England. Among the Union's chief activities are conferences, organising international matches, and educating and training players and officials. Their publications include handbooks and guides for coaches. Headquarters are at Twickenham, Middlesex, inside Twickenham Stadium.

The national team is called England Rugby. The Rugby Football Union and Premier Rugby Limited (PRL) are partners in a joint venture called England Rugby Limited (ERL) created to manage the elite professional game in England. The RFU's turnover for the year ended 30 June 2005 was £84.8 million, up from £72.3 million the previous year. £18.9 million was distributed to member clubs. [1]

[edit] History

In 1871 21 English clubs met at a London hostelry to form the Rugby Football Union (RFU), which would draw up rules for the game first played at Rugby school in 1823. There would have been 22, but the Wasps' representative never reached that inaugural meeting. (See History of rugby union.)

Similar unions were organised during the next few years in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, France, Canada, South Africa, and the United States.

[edit] International connections

Since 1890 the RFU has recognised the International Rugby Board as the world governing and law-making body for the game of Rugby Union. Other countries' governing bodies are often called by a similar name for example, Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU). See the IRB article for a full list of National Rugby Unions.

[edit] Controversy

In November 2000 a dispute between the RFU and the players over pay threatened to spill over onto the pitch with threats of industrial action. A deal was reached, but relations between the players, the coach and the RFU were forever altered. The RFU was embattled with the Premiership clubs set to take legal action^[1] to decide if they must release players for the New Zealand game. Premier Rugby Limited believe the game falls outside of the currently agreed international window and compromises the limit of games played per season by players. ^[2]

[edit] Director of Elite Rugby

In response to the faltering results of the England National Team on August 18 2006 Rob Andrew was appointed by the RFU to undertake the post of Director of Elite Rugby to oversee all aspects of representative rugby in England, from the regional academies to the full senior side, including senior team selection powers and the power to hire and fire coaches at all levels of English rugby. Rob also has the task of building bridges with the premiership clubs and the RFU in terms of players withdrawal from their club duties for international duties.

[edit] See also

• England national rugby union team
• Guinness Premiership
• National Division One
• Powergen Cup
• English Colts Club Knockout Cup
• Calcutta Cup
• English Rugby Union teams
• Rugby union in England
• Army Rugby Union

[edit] References

1. ^ The Guardian newspaper article, "Clubs seek court ruling over autumn Kiwi fixture", 7 June 2006. Online at Guardian Unlimited Sport, accessed 18 June 2006.
2. ^ The Guardian newspaper article, "Player doubt for All Blacks Test", 22 May 2006. Online at BBC Sport Online, accessed [[18 June]] 2006.

[edit] External links

• Official website
• The Schools' Rugby Website
• Official Photo Store
• Official Travel Company
• Army Rugby Union