There's no getting around it: we shot our wad early with all the jokes about balls and busting...and now we have to catch up on history. The 1870s through the 1890s brought an eruption of rule changes that moved the Rugby game away from the Association game, and shaped the other five codes we have today, as everyone is desperate to do something about all the tedious "scrummaging."

In Part 6, you'll learn how Americans were the only people wonderful and special enough to innovate new rugby-football rules, and then how people in northern England subsequently innovated new rugby-football rules. You'll also learn which racial group the sporting elites liked to compare the working class to—you might be surprised (you absolutely won't).

Please note that there is a version of this episode with slides, if you prefer.  ...