Le rugby

A portrait of Mr William Webb Ellis (born November 24th, 1806 in Salford, died January 24th 1872 in Menton near Nice, France).

According to what was probably a legend, Webb Ellis is the English inventor of Rugby football. In his teens he was a pupil at the Rugby school, a local public school in Warwickshire.During a game of football in 1823 with fine disregard for the rules of football, he suddenly took the ball in his hands and ran with it.

The rugby world cup is named The William Webb Ellis Trophy after him. Webb Ellis played cricket for Oxford University where he studied theology, then became an evangelical clergyman. His grave in Menton was renovated by the French Rugby Federation.

William Webb Ellis (24 novembre 1806 à Salford - 24 janvier 1872 à Menton, France) est l'inventeur britannique du rugby. Un jour de 1823, selon ce qui semble n'être qu'une légende, William se saisit du ballon avec les mains au cours d'une partie de football.