If you asked most people to describe a ball, they would describe a round sphere. However, in the sport of rugby, we use a bizarre ellipsoidal ball. Lovingly referred to as an 'egg' or as 'egg-shaped' by many rugby union fans, the ball has become an icon of the sport. But how exactly did we end up with such a shape in the first place?

Links, references and images for this episode can be found on my website: ⁠https://therugbyhistoryproject.com/⁠.

On the 30th September 2024, Irish rugby fans woke up to the news that the Ireland had beaten New Zealand. Fans of the men's team rejoiced that the women's team had finally achieved the same feat the men had come to hold so dear. Imagine their shock when fans of women's rugby informed them that the women's team had not only beaten New Zealand before, but that they had made a Rugby World Cup bronze final too. This podcast episode explores the rise, fall and rise again of the Irish Women's National Rugby Team and the broad history of women's rugby in Ireland.

Links, references and images for this episode can be found on my website: https://therugbyhistoryproject.com/.

Note: I did realise after getting very far into the editing and upload process that I misspoke slightly and stated that France entered the Five Nations in 1997, it actually happened in 1999!

In many countries, rugby union is considered to be a sport for the middle classes. Stereotypically played in private schools by the sons of professionals, the sport often struggles to overcome this perception. However, how true is this reputation and why did the sport gain it in the first place?