ABSTRACT
1. In marked contrast to Rugby League, Rugby Union has expanded since the beginning of the present century. However, its development has been far from crisis-free. Expansion has produced a number of unintended and unforeseen consequences, leading in particular to developments which run counter to amateur principles. More specifically, in the course of its expansion, Rugby Union has:
begun to be bureaucratically controlled. Since it remains in its early stages, this process is best described as ‘incipient’ bureaucratization. Its main interest for present purposes lies in the fact that it has necessitated an increase in the employment of paid personnel on the Twickenham staff;
developed a rank-hierarchy of clubs. Initially, this depended on social as well as sporting criteria but it soon opened up and Rugby ability per se increased in importance as a determinant of status. Later, however, when the hierarchy became national in scope, it hardened once more in the sense that the relative positions of clubs became virtually frozen;
seen the rise once more of gate-taking clubs, i.e. of clubs which are compelled to contravene the amateur ethos by paying attention to the interests of groups other than players. Indeed, as we shall show, not only the gate-taking clubs but also in subtle ways the RFU itself has grown financially dependent on spectator support.
