As this Grenoble team sheet from 1993 suggests, Willy Taofifenua wore No11 when he played centre 😱

The concept of an unlucky jersey happened every now and again. Clem Thomas wanted to wear No13 (a flanker’s jersey) at Coventry in 1952, though his predecessor had not 👻

You’ll still find references to Leicester’s letters at the club. The front row were dubbed the ABC Club, which didn’t correspond to Bristol because their letters worked the other way (until the subs)🤪 www.bobssportingmemorabilia.com/webshop-sear...

Wales used letters rather than numbers, as seen in this match report from 1932 🐉

The team sheet here shows how Quins were numbered. Famously, their opponents Bath didn’t have a No13 📖 www.bobssportingmemorabilia.com/rugby-union-...

Keith Wood wore No25 for the club, even when he started at hooker. “There may be some confusion for spectators on Saturday,” the Northampton Chronicle and Echo wrote in September 1996. “Quins, for whatever reason, have adopted a soccer-style squad numbering programme.”

We have an open weekend to explore the Times and Sunday Times. Unfettered access to the lot, including Alderman’s carousel of nonsense 👇
t.co/z8j7S19Uua

Injury subs were officially permitted in 1968. Two years earlier, England were in the wars against France. David Perry had a nasty knee injury, spent some minutes off the field for a painkilling injection and came back on. It did lasting damage to his leg 🗞️

You don't get stories like this any more 🗞️