With less than 48 hours to go until the 2025 Rugby World Cup Final, I thought it would be apt to have a look back at the previous 9 WRWC finals! - Nine finals - Nine locations - Four finalists - Three winners 1/3

Hollie Davidson will become the second referee in history to officiate two Rugby World Cup finals and the first to do so in the women’s competition! The other is of course André Watson who refereed the men’s 1999 and 2003 editions.

The RWC2025 may *almost* be over, but that doesn't mean that the history making has stopped! 🧵 A Thread

By popular demand: the Sophie de GOATe bootleg tee! Redbubble currently has a 25% off sale AND if you order today, it should arrive in time for the final (UK only) www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/1741...

I’m extremely thankful to have been able to watch Canada book themselves a place in next weeks final in person tonight. Of course, it seems apt to plug my previous article about Canada and how they’re succeeding against all odds. 🔗 therugbyhistoryproject.com/2025/06/30/o...

We're sat at the halfway point in this RWC and it's safe to say that history has been made! Here are some of the highlights thus far!

It’s only been six hours but so many new people have popped over to the new site! Thank you to every one who has taken time out of their day to do so and a very special thank you to everyone who has upgraded to the Historian tier 🥹🥹

In between busy World Cup weekends and my normal day to day bits, I've moved... Hosting sites! I shared a post a while ago with my intentions, but the site is finally ready to go. 🔗 therugbyhistoryproject.com

Le sticker collection @scrumoftheearth.bsky.social @therugbyhistory.bsky.social

At the 1994 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Scotland, France recorded a 99-0 win over Japan. Twenty-one years later this is still France’s biggest ever win. They are 47 minutes into their game against Brazil and are already winning 58-0.

I’m on a bit of a “go slow” at the moment as I’m travelling every weekend for the World Cup but I love to know what you would prefer to see next. My thoughts are: - The rise, fall and rise again of Irish Women’s Rugby - Why rugby is so posh Let me know below!

HAPPY WORLD CUP DAY! To celebrate, here is a quick read on the first-ever female rugby player known to score a try: Emily Valentine. Available as a read on Substack, or to listen on Substack, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. 🔗 shorturl.at/Eb2Qt

My stickers have arrived! If you spot me at the World Cup please come grab one!

In case you missed it this weekend, edition 5 of TRHP focuses on the French game of barrette, a potential precursor to the women’s rugby movement. Filled with Feminism, Frenchness and F**kery, it’s a fun look back at the 1920s! open.substack.com/pub/therugby...

This has been weighing heavily on my mind for the last two weeks or so, I really want to make it clear that I do not approve nor co-sign the extremist content on Substack. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Nazis should burn in hell.

Barrette is often touted as an inspiration for the modern women's rugby movement, but what exactly is barrette? And are there actually any links to women's rugby as we know it? 🔗 shorturl.at/i3Dvp 🎧 shorturl.at/VB5eK

Sometimes I find interesting but off topic things whilst researching. Today I've found a video from 1964 of women's rugby in New Zealand WITH A DOG ON THE PITCH!! www.britishpathe.com/asset/222227/

A few weeks ago, I was looking for a Spain jersey that was in my price range and my style. To cut a very long story short, I ended up designing my own along with one for every other country in the World Cup. RedBubble is currently 25% off too! tinyurl.com/yrd2wusb

England's 'foreign Legion' lose at Twickenham in 1950. #rugbyhistory 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 youtu.be/DKKGxaiyzr0?...

A great watch from my friend @huwgriffinrugby.bsky.social

Here’s Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 scoring an 85 metre try against Ireland at the 1991 World Cup 🏆 In 2027, they could meet again 👀 hear the story of their golden age, their fall and their resurection on my YouTube channel tomorrow…

There is over 100 footnotes for my latest post (apologies) so I thought I would share four of the important texts in case anyone would like any further reading. -Billy Boston by Robert Gate (on Kindle Unlimited) -True Professional by James Oddy -Roy Francis by Tony Collins (truly excellent!)

Did you know that TRHP is now available as a podcast? A paid subscription gives you access to all editions of the podcast, but the newest episode is available for free! 🎧 Substack: shorturl.at/4AEuW 🎧 Spotify: shorturl.at/v0XYq 🎧 Apple Podcasts (free episodes only): shorturl.at/UHzWo

It was an open secret in Welsh Rugby Union in the mid-twentieth century that Black men were not selected to represent their nation. However, over the border, Black Welsh players would change the game of rugby league forever. Available as a read or a podcast. 🔗 shorturl.at/nOkNj 🎧 shorturl.at/REvSP

On the 29th July 1948, the first Stoke Mandeville Games commenced. Run concurrently with the 1948 Olympics, 16 athletes took part. Aimed to provide an outlet for war veterans recovering from spinal cord injuries, the games were a precursor to the modern Paralympic Games.

Coming Soon Clive Sullivan's career could be best described as a rollercoaster. From debilitating injuries to the honour of Britain's first-ever Black captain, his career had it all. Not too bad for a lad who was never expected to play top-flight rugby.

Coming Soon In June 2025, Billy Boston became the first former rugby league player to be knighted for his services to the sport. But for the boy from Tiger Bay, all he'd ever wanted was to play for Cardiff.

Coming Soon Roy Francis's life is one of the most complex tales in all of rugby history. One of the thousands of men who left rugby union in South Wales to play rugby league in the North of England, Francis's motivations were not just financial.

I have in fact lost the plot (I needed a top to wear to the Spain game in a few weeks, here you guys go) www.redbubble.com/people/theru...

If you haven't had a chance to check out my latest Substack, this is a sign to do so! therugbyhistoryproject.substack.com/p/the-legacy...

Whilst researching women's rugby in Spain, I came across a video of the Black Ferns celebrating their 2002 RWC win (which took place in Barcelona!) youtu.be/5MgSZBUvQqg?...

:DDDDD

In the third edition of TRHP, we discuss Spain in the Women's Six Nations between 2000 and 2006, and their subsequent removal by administrators of the men's game, a decision still viewed with ire by many within the women's rugby community. therugbyhistoryproject.substack.com/p/the-legacy...

Tip-tapping away, working on the next edition!

A rugby book from 1999 with WOMEN (!!!) on the cover? Sign me right up.

If you missed it, the second edition of The Rugby History Project discusses how the Canadian Women’s National Rugby Team have succeeded against all odds. As Canada prepare for the 2025 World Cup, they are once again fundraising to get there. 🔗 therugbyhistoryproject.substack.com/p/ohhhh-cana...

Turns out I published this on Sophie de Goede's 26th birthday, happy belated birthday Sophie de 🐐

If you haven’t checked out last weeks post, I’d recommend you give it a shot! open.substack.com/pub/therugby...

As the Canadian Women's National Team prepare for the 2025 World Cup, they are once again fundraising to get there. As a chronically underfunded team, they have succeeded against all odds, but without intervention, they risk the same fate as their male counterparts. open.substack.com/pub/therugby...

Any guesses for the upcoming instalment of The Rugby History Project? (Images: BC Rugby News and John Davidson/The Associated Press)

After posting my first ever article on Substack yesterday I received comments about my lack of waffle and full referencing. These are the type of compliments all academics love to see! Thank you all for the support!