History of Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby School, one of England's oldest and most prestigious public schools, rose to national prominence in the 1820s through the teaching methods pioneered by its headmaster, Dr Thomas Arnold, which contributed to a radical change in Public School education in England. Most of the present school buildings, near the centre of the town, date from this period. In 1823 William Webb Ellis is said to have invented Rugby Football when he picked up the ball and ran with it.
White Africans of European ancestry
Similarly to cricket, football, and field hockey; rugby was first introduced to the continent by the British. The sport was initially played in 1861 at Diocesan College but it quickly spread to the local population. The sport became popular among Afrikaners after the first club outside of Cape Town had been created being in Stellenbosch. The expansion of European settlement on the Cape towards the interior continued to increase the sports popularity. The Second Boer War led to an increased interest in rugby by Boers as a result of being interned in POW camps and the increased British presence throughout the region.