Rugby card
One of the earliest rugby cards (depicting Louis Magee) issued by Ogden's in 1902
Other namesRugby union card
TypeTrading card
CompanySelect Australia
CountryUnited Kingdom
Australia
Availabilityc. 1902–present
FeaturesRugby union
Rugby league

A Rugby card is a type of trading card relating to rugby football codes, usually printed on cardboard, silk, or plastic. These cards are most often found in the Australia, New Zealand and other countries where the sport is popular.

History

Early versions of rugby union trading cards came at the beginning of 20th century, when tobacco companies released their cigarette card series. The first collections consisted on black and white photographs of rugby players, such examples of this were series issued by Ogden and W.D. & H.O. Wills (both in 1902) and Taddy (1906). Later collections featured color illustrations of player portraits (Ogden, 1906) and live actions (issued by Gallagher in 1912).

In successive decades, other tobacco manufacturers launched series. In 1926, Ogden released a new black and white series of players. The same year, John Player & Sons released a series that consisted of caricatures of rugby players.[1] In 1935, W.A. & A.C. Churchman released an illustrated series displaying player portraits.[1]

Australian company Scanlens produced its first rugby league set in 1963,[2] releasing several collections during the 1970s and 1980s.[3] Other companies that produced cards were Stimorol (1988–91) and Regina (1992–93), until Dynamic Market took over the contract to produce rugby league cards in Australia.[3]

Another Australian company, "Select Australia", entered into the business in 2000.[3] The company was the official licensee for National Rugby League (NRL) cards (2010–12).[4][5] Since then, the NRL licensed company "Elite Sport Properties" (ESP) to produce trading cards.[3][6] The NRL also released its own collections, Startoons, featuring caricatures of players.[7]

Collections

Some rugby union/rugby league card collections released through the years include:[1][2]

Year Manufacturer Series Type, format
1902Ogden'sFootballersBlack and white photographs of players
1902WillsFootballersBlack and white photographs of players
1902Cadle'sFootballersBlack and white photographs of players
1906TaddyFootballersBlack and white photographs of players
1906Ogden'sFootball Club ColoursIllustrations of players
1909ChurchmanFootball Club ColoursIllustrations of players
1915Fred MorganWelsh Footballers & CricketersBlack and white photographs of players
1926Ogden'sFamous Rugby PlayersBlack and white photographs of players
1926Player'sFootballersCaricatures of players
1927WillsNew Zealand footballersBlack and white photographs of players [note 1]
1928Player'sFootballers [note 2]Illustrations of players
1929WillsRugby internationalsCaricatures of players
1930WillsRugby playersBlack and white photographs of players
1935ChurchmanInternationalsIllustrations of players
1935Ogden'sFootball CaricaturesCaricatures of players
1938United TobaccoBritish Rugby Tour of S. Africa [note 3]Black and white player photographs of players
1963ScanlensFootball GumColor photographs of players [note 4]
1976KFCAll BlacksBlack and white photographs of players [note 1]
1995Rugby AustraliaThe WallabiesColor photographs of players [note 5]
1995FuteraRugby Union 1995[note 5]
1995Dynamic Marketing'95 ContendersColor photographs of players [note 1]
1996Card Crazy AuthenticsRugby SuperstarsColor photographs of players [note 6]
1998PaniniPremier Division 98Color photographs of players, teams, and emblems [note 7]
2016Tap'n'PlaySuper RugbyFeaturing Super Rugby players.
2019GleniskIrish RugbyColor photographs of players [note 8]
2020NRLStartoonsCaricatures of players [note 9]
Notes
  1. 1 2 3 Featuring New Zealand internationals.
  2. ↑ The word footballers included in this case several codes of football, from rugby union to association football
  3. ↑ Featuring players of British and Irish Lions and South African players.
  4. ↑ Rugby league players.
  5. 1 2 Featuring players of Australia national team
  6. ↑ Featuring New Zealand provincial players.
  7. ↑ Related to Premiership Rugby.
  8. ↑ Featuring Ireland international players.[8][9]
  9. ↑ Featuring NRL players.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rugby cards & stickers on Rugby Relics
  2. 1 2 "Flashback: The Scanlens guide to the Eric 'Guru' Grothe years".
  3. 1 2 3 4 Rugby League Card Library on Game Day Trading Cards
  4. ↑ "Select Cards - Card Checklists - NRL". Select Australia.
  5. ↑ "Select NRL". Ja Ja's Collectables.
  6. ↑ "ESP/TLA". Ja Ja's Collectables.
  7. 1 2 Footy cards are back on NRL website
  8. ↑ The only official Irish rugby collector album on Love Belfast website
  9. ↑ "Glenisk Launches Guinness Six Nations Rugby Trading Cards". Checkout.
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