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Continue reading →: Who left the underdogs out: Rugby’s lack of true upsetsAuthor: Du Toit McLachlan Everyone loves an underdog, so the saying goes. Rugby’s history is marked by stories of the plucky and brave team besting their more fancied and well-resourced opponent, securing an unlikely win and creating history for their nation. Think Romania in 1990, recording their first victory over…
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Continue reading →: All the Build-ups: A look at how the British and Irish Lions prepared for the first Test in AustraliaThe Lions in Australia: A different kind of tour The 1989 British and Irish Lions’ tour to Australia broke new ground in the long history of Lions tours. It was the first time after the Second World War that the Lions were making a full tour of Australia. Furthermore, the…
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Continue reading →: The history of the British and Irish in ArgentinaAuthor: Jer McLachlan Early British and Irish tours to Argentina Combined teams from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were the first to introduce Test rugby in the Southern Hemisphere when they toured South Africa in 1891 and Australia in 1899. Their mission of spreading the game of rugby union to…
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Continue reading →: David vs Goliath: vanishing once again?Author: Du Toit McLachlan Matches between rugby’s so-called Goliaths, those nations playing in the Six Nations and Rugby Championship tournaments, and the smaller teams, Davids, are set to become an even rarer occurrence from 2026. World Rugby announced in October 2023 that the rugby calendar will be revamped, with a…
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Continue reading →: North v South: Italy in AfricaAuthor: Jer McLachlan Italy will be making its 10th visit to Africa when it tours Namibia and South Africa in 2025. Italy’s first touring venture outside of Europe was to Madagascar in 1970, where it played and won two Test matches. In an article published on RugbyH24, Andrea Pelliccia remarks…
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Continue reading →: France vs New Zealand: A Historic Rugby RivalryFrance vs. New Zealand is a historic rugby rivalry steeped in tradition and passion. In this week’s blog, we examine a number of iconic matches played in New Zealand, as France get ready to embark on their 2025 tour to the Land of the Long White Cloud.
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Continue reading →: Reviving the Wallabies: Parallels Between 1989 and 2025The Wallabies faced challenges after a rocky 2023, but showed promise in 2024, when, just like in 1989, they underwent a significant revamp under new coach Joe Schmidt. Could 2025 be a defining year for Australian rugby, just as 1989 proved to be.
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Continue reading →: British and Irish Lions Tour 2025: Australia’s Underdog Status ExplainedThe British and Irish Lions face a struggling Australian team, ranked 8th in the world, and recovering under coach Joe Schmidt. Despite past successes, injuries and experience disparities pose challenges for the Wallabies.
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Continue reading →: Burden of Leadership: Choosing the right captain for British & Irish Lions ToursThe British and Irish Lions captaincy is a prestigious yet challenging role, with a history of controversies, especially in 1966 and 1983 due to poor selections. Recent tours show a shift towards head coaches influencing captain choices, leading to successes like Sam Warburton in 2013. Selecting the right captain remains…
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Continue reading →: Clubbed together: The Clubs which have made the British and Irish LionsAuthor: Du Toit McLachlan The British and Irish Lions squad: A historical club-level analysis Last week, we wrote about the composition of past British and Irish Lions touring squads and test teams based on players’ nationality, highlighting how a team’s performance in the Five or Six Nations often did not…
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To the Rugby Historian
The Rugby Historian is the brainchild of Jer McLachlan, a rugby fanatic who has loved the game since he was in primary school. The blog will dive into the history of rugby, telling stories of long-forgotten heroes and providing context to modern debates.
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