Charles William Alcock

“ An occasional visit of a team of Old Boys would arouse a little excitement, but only of a transient character, and with the arrival of spring the schoolboy's fancy would lightly turn to thought of other games. ”

“ The first of these was, of course, the raison d'être of the Rugby game, and the abolition of running would have meant such a radical alteration in the constitution of football, that it can hardly be a surprise to find those who had been educated in the mysteries of that particular kind of game opposed to a sweeping reform, which would have reduced them to the necessity of unlearning the lessons of their boyhood, and schooling themselves in a, to a great extent, different game. ”

“ No player shall be allowed to take the ball from the ground with his hands under any pretence whatever while it is in play. No player shall be allowed to wear projecting nails, iron plates, or gutta-percha on the soles or heels of his boots. ”

“ Intimation had meanwhile been given by those representing the non-contents that, in the event of the rejection of the principle of hacking the Blackheath party would be compelled to secede, and the formal notification of the withdrawal of the Blackheath club was duly made at the following meeting, held at the Freemasons' Tavern on December 8, 1863. The new code adopted on that occasion, while admitting for a try at goal, had disallowed running with the ball and passing, as well as tripping and hacking. ”

“ The length of the ground should not exceed 200 yards. The width of the ground should not exceed 100 yards. The goals should be defined by two upright posts, without any tape or bar across the top of them. ”