rugby was first played in the town in 1848 and the huddersfield athletic club, the direct progenitors of huddersfield giants, formed in 1864, played its first rugby game in 1866. in huddersfield on 29 august 1895, 22 northern clubs met in the george hotel and voted to secede from the rugby football union and set up the 'northern rugby football union' which became the rugby football league in 1922. the rugby league heritage centre is in the basement of the george hotel.