Who is said to be responsible for the invention of rugby?

William Webb Ellis is traditionally said to be responsible for the invention of rugby. According to the famous story, he picked up the ball and ran with it during a football match at Rugby School in England in 1823, creating the distinctive running style associated with rugby.

The story is central to rugby folklore, but historians generally treat it as an origin myth rather than proven fact. The earliest written account appeared decades later, in letters by former Rugby School pupil Matthew Bloxam in 1876 and 1880. No firsthand evidence confirms that Ellis performed the legendary act.

Ellis was born in 1806 and later became an Anglican clergyman. Rugby’s governing traditions nevertheless preserved his name, and the trophy awarded to Rugby World Cup winners is called the Webb Ellis Cup. The safest distinction is that Ellis is the sport’s traditional figurehead, not a definitively documented sole inventor.