Why is Rugby Union considered an upper class sport?

Question

I’m very much working class and I played Rugby Union. Just picked up a rugby ball instead of a football, joined a local club and loved it. Still a huge rugby fan to this day and have never followed the EPL. My team was a mixture of working, middle and upper class guys which was great.

Answer 1

Because (in England and Scotland especially), the "talent spotters" concentrate on a select number of public schools.

Answer 2

Although things have got much more blurred since Rugby Union turned professional, in England Rugby Union used to be very much the preserve of public schools. Rugby Union has always been played on a Saturday, while amateur football is often played on Sundays. This is because rugby was played by professional men. Like doctors and solicitors etc. who had the whole weekend off work. Football was played by men that often had to work on a Saturday, so they had to play on Sundays.

Even today, if you look at the England Rugby team several of the players will be ex-public schoolboys. Like Maro Itoje (Harrow), the Vinapola(?) brothers (also Harrow?), Chris Robshaw went to Millfield.

Answer 3

Who considers it upper class. Come to Wales and see rugby at grassroots.

Answer 4

Couple reasons:



Rugby Union is mostly popular in Southern England.



Rugby Union became nationally popular due to Universities forming teams.



Rugby Union has historically been played by wealthier people.

Answer 5

Because football was considered a working class sport middle to upper class people played ruggers...though I think that slowly reversing,because the working class is being priced out of football.

Answer 6

For years universities were the pipeline for rugby union clubs going back to the amateur days when players would be attending university/post-graduate work whilst playing union. Plus (in England at least) the perception is that union is played in the south while league is the dominion of Yorkshire and parts north.