First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

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mikerob
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by mikerob »

Do you trust the Guardian? :wink:

According to this, it was Broughton v Swinton at Salford in 1878.

This was before the union/league split... and I'm guessing these clubs ended up on the league side of the fence but because it was before the split, it can probably still be considered a union game.
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by cables »

The most popular answer given by 100 people asked was:

Broughton v Swinton
22 October 1878
Yew Street Ground, Salford

:lol: Just tried to post this only to be advised that MR had already posted very similar.

Would the quizmaster please advise if this is considered to have been a "Rugby Union" game?
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by Ball Boy »

And for the bonus point... Gas or electric lighting?
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by Rooster »

Ball Boy wrote:And for the bonus point... Gas or electric lighting?
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by cables »

The recorded information is:

Broughton - 2 goals, 3 tries, 3 touchdowns
Swinton - Nil

The 2 goals came from a field goal (C. Sawyer) and one try (J. Sawyer) being converted (Mudie) into a goal. This provided 6 points for Broughton. No points were awarded for the un-converted tries touched down by Riley, A. Bowman and Shut.

The final score would have been 6-0 therefore.
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by BR »

cables wrote:The recorded information is:

Broughton - 2 goals, 3 tries, 3 touchdowns
Swinton - Nil

The 2 goals came from a field goal (C. Sawyer) and one try (J. Sawyer) being converted (Mudie) into a goal. This provided 6 points for Broughton. No points were awarded for the un-converted tries touched down by Riley, A. Bowman and Shut.

The final score would have been 6-0 therefore.
Did they actually ever multiply the goals up into points back then, or was that only done retrospectively to compare to the more modern system?
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by cables »

Did they actually ever multiply the goals up into points back then, or was that only done retrospectively to compare to the more modern system?
It looks like some clubs did. A Cheltenham College system seems perhaps to have been the most widely accepted example and was adopted by the RFU only in 1886.

In respect of this particular game, as the contemporary record does not record points then it would be reasonable to assume points were not used.

BTW, the above should not be read as applicable to International Rugby.
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by HwoodMike2umate »

In one fell swoop lets make the question more difficult and more relevant -

First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game With Cheerleaders?

The Ulster public has a rite 2 no.
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by BR »

cables wrote:
Did they actually ever multiply the goals up into points back then, or was that only done retrospectively to compare to the more modern system?
It looks like some clubs did. A Cheltenham College system seems perhaps to have been the most widely accepted example and was adopted by the RFU only in 1886.

In respect of this particular game, as the contemporary record does not record points then it would be reasonable to assume points were not used.

BTW, the above should not be read as applicable to International Rugby.
i'm sure many here will remember the Times would describe a result in terms of Goals, Tries and Field Goals - only adding the points equivalent as an afterthought so that any soccer fan who happened on his boss's paper was properly educated ;) I'm sure that continued into the 1980s.

It is my understanding that it was around 1880s that tries started to be used to seperate teams on equal goals; but I guess in those days the laws were simply agreed betwen the two captains a few minutes before k.o.
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by cables »

Where I worked they circulated Press Cuttings rather than the papers. Sport was never circulated.

Based on your input, I looked at Edmund Van Esbeck's record and found that he dropped recording goals, tries etc as part of the result at the 1987 RWC and subsequently although he had been recording both for games from the 1889-1890 season.

November 1875 saw the introduction by the RFU of tries as a decider where goals were equal or none. What the rest were doing I have no idea.
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by BR »

Going back to 'firsy floodlit game' ...

Some may be interested in this match programme I found:
Floodlight1.jpg
Floodlight1.jpg (40.7 KiB) Viewed 2025 times
Floodlight2.jpg
Floodlight2.jpg (130.05 KiB) Viewed 2025 times
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

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Floodlight3.jpg
Floodlight3.jpg (120.87 KiB) Viewed 2020 times
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Re: First Recorded Rugby Union Floodlight Game?

Post by BR »

That image isn't great.

Here's an OCR scan:

The Floodlights"
For some years the Ulster Branch has been concerned to try to improve the image of Rugby Football at the Headquarters ground at Ravenhill. Since the last International in the 1950's it seemed as if the old ground had lost much of its atmosphere and interest.
One suggestion was the erection of floodlights so that the various Ulster teams could train at Ravenhill before Representative games and this led to the more grandoise idea of erecting a full floodlighting scheme for matches. Nothing happened until Mr. T. C. Lindsay was elected President of the Ulster Branch in 1982/83. He made a pledge to his colleagues that every effort would be made to complete a scheme to provide full floodlighting at the ground. Assisted principally by Professor C E. Wright, the Portadown representative, these two set about the task in no uncertain manner. Adding Mr. John Kenny of the Ulster Bank to their team, and enjoying the advice and positive support of Mr. John Saulters of the Dept. of Education N. Ireland it soon became clear to the "doubting Thomases" of the Ulster Branch that the lights were going to be erected.
In November 1983 the lights were unofficially opened at the closing stages of the Ulster verses Munster Interprovincial on a particularly dark and gloomy afternoon. (Maybe it is fitting that Keith Crossan, the current shining light of Ulster rugby scored his first try that day). Since then Ravenhill has had a visit from the IRFU President's XV and Dinamo Bucharest as well as the inauguration of the Tennents Lager Cup and the Semi Final of the Ormo Senior League under lights.
Tonight it is the great occasion and it is important that the Ulster Branch acknowledges the financial support that it has had from many sources. There are too many Companies and individuals to be listed but the Committee thanks the Dept of Education, those who bought advertising poles, the Clubs who donated cash and the many people who made private contributions to the Floodlights Fund. That Rugby has so many friends in business and the private sector is very rewarding to know. The Committee hopes that these people will be rewarded by the Rugby on view on this and future occasions.
Finally the Committee wants to thank Blackbourne Electrical Co. for their construction work and the Consultants Williamson Brown Crozier & Wyatt.
K. E. Reid
Hon. Secretary, Ulster Branch I.R.F.U.
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