The Story of Rugby

Episode 2

An International Game

How rugby spread from British universities to men of all social classes in the biggest Empire in history, changing nations political fortunes along the way.

Episode 3

A Global Game

How the U.S.A. received then adapted rugby into America’s national game – and how France overcame British resistance to remake rugby as ‘the beautiful game’ on a level that astonished the world.

Episode 4

A Power Game

How rugby’s misguided attempts to cling to past glories allowed media visionary Rupert Murdoch to swoop in and turn a 100-year-old staunchly amateur game fully professional.

Episode 5

A Professional Game

How France and England became the most powerful rugby nations in the world, and tiny, remote New Zealand became the number one team in rugby history.

Episode 6

Tomorrow's Game

How rugby returned to the Olympics in 2016 and finally opened its doors to women in a bold new era of change – in the process changing rugby from a niche into a sport for everyone in the world.