Ten Things You Never Knew About the Sport of Rugby

Whilst rugby has never had the same level of exposure on TV that soccer has, it does seem to become a lot more popular in recent years. Many people's memories of rugby are of shivering in the rain at school and praying the big guy doesn't come anywhere you, but it's a great game to watch from the comfort of own front room! As Rugby does seem to be getting a better deal on TV these days, for those that might be new to watching rugby, here are ten things you probably didn't know about the sport.

1. What is it called a try?

A try is called a try, because when the game was first played, there were no points awarded for touching down the ball at your opponent's end of the field. What it did gain you, though, was an attempt, or a try, at the goal.

2. The game was named after the British school that it was invented in

When soccer was being played in English schools in the 19th century, there were no formalised rules for the game and each school made up their own rule book. It is believed that a boy named William Webb Ellis, who attended Rugby School, invented the game of rugby when he decided to pick up the ball and run for the goal during a game of soccer. The Rugby Union World Cup is still called the Web Ellis Cup to this day.

3. Rugby balls were first made from pig's bladders

Rugby balls and soccer balls used to be made using a pig's bladder for the inner. Unfortunately, the pig's bladders weren't cured very well and they frequently became rotten. The wife of the man, who made the rugby balls at Rugby School in the 19th century, died from the effects of the fumes she inhaled from the balls.

4. The reigning Olympic Champions is the US

By a quirk of fate, the current reigning Olympic Champions in the sport of rugby are the USA and they have held that title since 1924. The reason why, is because Rugby was dropped as an Olympic sport in that year.

5. There are two different types of Rugby played

Just to make it even more confusing to the non-expert, there are two types of rugby played, rugby league and rugby union. The games are very similar but the rules are quite different including a different scoring system.

6. The big scores

One of the differences between soccer and rugby that anyone new to the sport will notice are the big scores. The largest ever score difference that was recorded at an international match was in a game between Australia and Namibia, when Australia won the game by 142 points to nil.

7. The one hundred year old world cup whistle

At the beginning of every rugby world cup, the tournament is kicked off when the referee blows a one hundred year old whistle. It is the same whistle that was used for a game played in 1924 between England and New Zealand in the Paris Olympics.

8. The rugby world cup has never been retained by a team

The New Zealand team is the favourite to win the 2015 rugby world cup and, if they do win, they will be making a rugby world cup first, because the title has never been retained by a team, since the tournament first started in 1987.

9. A rugby coach invented basketball

James Naismith, a New England Rugby coach, is credited with inventing the game of basketball. It is said that he invented basketball so that his rugby team could train indoors when the weather was too bad to train outside.

10. National anthem singing at sporting occasions began with rugby

The traditional singing of national anthems before an international sporting event began in rugby. It was started when Welsh rugby supporters responded to the New Zealand team's Maori war dance with their own national anthem in 1905. The singing of national anthems before a match was then adopted officially.

Trampoline Pads for Cost Conscious Buyers

Trampoline safety pads prevent jumpers from having accidents associated with springs. While some trampoline owners allow people to jump on trampolines with no safety pad, this is a safety hazard and is not recommended by professionals. Pads are essential to having a safe trampoline for your friends and family. It is understandable that it is difficult for many people to spend the money on expensive pads for trampolines during these hard economic times, which is why we are going to explain to you what you should look for to get a dependable safety pad without spending too much money.

One of the most important factors you should examine when purchasing a pad is what type of material the pad is composed of. It is always recommended to purchase pads made with PVC Vinyl rather than polyethylene material. This is because polyethylene fabric is very sensitive to UV rays and will deteriorate quickly. PVC Vinyl is a sturdy vinyl that resists UV rays for extended amounts of time.

Another factor to consider when searching for a safety pad is the thickness of the pads. Most pads are 0.25" to 0.5" thick. This thickness will work for any trampoline and tend to be the most economical options. For customers wanting to guarantee maximum protection from pinching and bruising by springs there are safety pads which are 1" thick available. Those pads do cost slightly more, but they also provide the ultimate level of protection.

For owners of Hedstrom brand trampolines there is the option of purchasing Hedstrom safety pads. These pads are designed specifically for Hedstrom brand trampolines. They are the perfect option for someone searching for a budget-friendly safety pad. Typically the sleeve for Hedstrom brand pads can be purchased separately. So if the foam from the previous pad is still in good condition the only thing that will need to be replaced is the sleeve, which can save the trampoline owner even more money. An easy way to determine if you own a Hedstrom brand trampoline is to examine the perimeter hardware of the original trampoline mat. All Hedstrom brand trampoline mats have grommets instead of metal triangles.

There are many different types of trampoline pads available, each of which range in cost. The best thing for a trampoline owner to do is research to determine what safety pad quality best suits their needs and their budget. It is important to remember when purchasing trampoline equipment that the phrase "you get what you pay for" is very true. Sometimes it is better to pay a little more money up front for a better quality product because it will save you money over time due to lack of need for replacement.

David Jones is a professional author belongs to GA, USA and working with Trampoline Pro Shop as a marketing manager. Trampoline Pro Shop is a trampoline parts and accessories manufacturer company offers trampoline safety pads, mats, springs, covers etc.

The Evolution of the Sport of Boxing

Hand-to-hand combat may be the oldest form of combat that occurred between Homo sapiens. While weapons quickly replaced the fist as a way to hunt, hand-to-hand combat persisted as a way of settling disputes. Sports were often developed as ways for soldiers to maintain their skills during times of peace. The origins of these kinds of competitions can be seen in events like chariot races in Egypt or the javelin tosses of ancient Greece.

Many modern sports originated at the original Olympic Games of Greece. These sporting events gave rise to wrestling, archery, shot put, discus, and a number of running events. The most relevant sport to our topic was called "pankration." This violent sport involved the use of kicks as well as punches, and it only had rules against eye gouges and strikes to the groin. Nowadays, this sport is seen as the predecessor to modern MMA-style contests.

Depictions of fighters with wrapped fists have been found in the art of ancient Minoa from as early as 1500 BCE, and this type of fighting attire was described in Ancient Egypt as well as Greece. Romans enjoyed watching gladiators fight using only their fists, though fighters would wrap their fingers in leather thongs to protect their hands. Hardened leather was added in additional layers so that the fighters' fists became deadly bludgeoning weapons. Less valuable slaves were forced to fight in an area within a circle drawn in the dirt, which was the origin of the term "ring" in the context of boxing. This sport was actually outlawed in Rome due to its violent and brutal nature.

Fistfights fell out of favor with the advent of casual weaponry - that is, wearing a sword or other weapon as part of daily attire. Some allusions to fistfights exist in text from Italy and Russia between the 12th and 17th centuries. The sport was revitalized during the late 17th century in England, when carrying weapons had fallen out of fashion. Resurrected as prizefighting in London, organized fistfights were still bare-knuckle, brutal, and occasionally fatal affairs.

Rules created by champion fighter Jack Broughton introduced concepts like rules against hitting below the belt, a 30-second count when a fighter is down, and a standardized ring size with ropes to mark the boundaries. These rules also called for the use of cotton wraps on the hands of the fighters. With the induction of these rules, fatalities became less common. Ninety years later, weight classes were introduced in the London fight circuit to further reduce injuries caused by unfair fights.

The next leap forward came with the published rulebook known as the Marquess of Queensberry rules. These guidelines established that matches must consist of ten 3-minute rounds with 1-minute breaks between each. They also standardized the size of boxing gloves to be closer to the modern version. These new gloves allowed for longer matches and a greater focus on strategic punching and defense.

In the end, boxing became the modern sport we appreciate today through the introduction of truly talented and powerful fighters that changed the scene forever, like Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman.