Football: The Rugby Union Game - Classic 1892 History Reissue

In this review of Football: The Rugby Union Game, the reviewer recommends this reissue for historians, rugby enthusiasts and collectors curious about the sport's late 19th century origins. The single biggest reason to buy is the book's firsthand perspective from Frank Marshall, an active referee and Yorkshire Rugby Union president whose writing captures the rules debates, school and county traditions, and early international tours that shaped modern rugby. This edition, issued to coincide with a Rugby World Cup, offers readers a compact, period account that places the amateur ethos and early encounters into historical context.

Key Features

• Historical authorship: Written by Frank Marshall, a referee and Yorkshire Rugby Union president, the book delivers an insider account of governance and disputes over amateurism in the 1890s.
• Coverage of institutions: The text surveys rugby at British schools, universities and county level, helping readers understand how the game developed through established institutions.
• Early international detail: The book records early international encounters and tours, including the challenging Maori tour, offering rare contemporary descriptions.
• Player and match records: Team lists, match results and appreciations of players provide useful primary material for researchers and fans of rugby lore.
• Illustrations: Period illustrations enhance the historical narrative and give visual context to late Victorian rugby.

Who It's For

This edition suits readers seeking a primary-period perspective on rugby union: sports historians, students researching British and Irish sporting culture in the 19th century, and collectors of classic sporting texts. Its authorial voice and contemporary match listings make it a good reference for anyone studying the social and organizational history of the game.

Readers looking for modern coaching techniques, up-to-date rules or a photographic coffee-table book should look elsewhere, as the value here is historical narrative and contemporary commentary rather than practical modern guidance.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides an authentic late 19th century viewpoint from an influential rugby official, useful for historical research.
• Contains team lists, match results and player appreciations that supply primary-source detail not often found in modern summaries.
• Discusses institutional development at schools, universities and counties, clarifying how the sport spread and organized itself.

Cons

• As a historical reissue, it lacks modern commentary or updated analysis for contemporary readers seeking present-day context.

Specifications

Title	Football: The Rugby Union Game
Author	Frank Marshall
Original publication year	1892
Reissue occasion	Released to mark the Rugby World Cup 2015
Subject focus	History of rugby at schools, universities, counties and early internationals
Includes	Team lists, match results, player appreciations and illustrations

Our Verdict

Football: The Rugby Union Game is a worthwhile purchase for readers who want a contemporaneous window into late Victorian rugby and the institutional debates that shaped the sport. Its firsthand observations and archival details make it good value for historians and serious fans, while casual readers should expect a period voice rather than modern analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the original 1892 text?
This reissue reproduces the original 1892 work by Frank Marshall, maintaining the period content and illustrations.

Does the book cover international tours?
Yes, the book describes early international encounters, including the notable Maori tour.

Is there modern commentary or updates in this edition?
No, this reissue presents the historical text as authored by Marshall; it does not include extensive modern analysis.