Rugby union at the 1908 Summer Olympics. The event was summarised under the "Football" heading along with association football. The host Great Britain was represented by Cornwall, the 1908 county champion. Defending Olympic champions France withdrew, leaving Australasia, (represented in rugby by the Australia national team exclusively) as the only other remaining entrant. History The visiting team competed in the London Olympics in conjunction with the inaugural Australia tour of the United Kingdom of 1908-09, in which they would ultimately go 25-5-1 (win, draw, lose) in their 31 matches. The Australian team entered the rugby tournament and were the only other team alongside Cornwall (who were representing Great Britain). Australia had already beaten Cornwall, the English county champions early in the tour – an 18–5 defeat of Cornwall in their third tour match at Camborne RFC on 3 October 1908. Both Scotland and Ireland had declined the Rugby Football Union's invitations to participate in the Olympic competition, while France withdrew, leaving just the Australian and Great Britain to play for gold and silver medals. The interest in the Olympic rugby final was only lukewarm, with the final being held in the last week of the Games, that had taken place over six months. In 1908 Twickenham Stadium was still being built: the match was played at the White City Stadium, London, on an area alongside the Olympic Games swimming pool, which measured 110 yards in length with a long line of netting stretched beside to catch flying balls. Large mattresses were spread along the rim of the pool to prevent injuries to falling players. One day was allocated to the Olympic rugby tournament, with the game taking place in a thick mid-week London fog at a virtually deserted White City in wet conditions. Often, a kick for touch saw the ball end up in the pool, and it was said that the Australians were more adept at handling the slippery ball. Penzance RFC and England international winger Barrie Bennetts had to withdraw with an injury in the morning and was replaced by Barney Solomon – the elder brother of the much more famous Bert. Cornwall had five current or future England players – captain John Jackett of Falmouth at full back, Bert Solomon at centre, England and British Lions fly-half John "Maffer" Davey at fly half who partnered St Ives and England scrum half, Tommy Wedge. The pack which scrummaged