▁a ▁very ▁hard ▁and ▁equal ▁game ▁with ▁the ▁Mar l borough ▁Nom ads , ▁and ▁are ▁better ▁than ▁ever ▁this ▁year , ▁and ▁are ▁sure ▁to ▁win ▁most ▁of ▁their ▁matches ". ▁The ▁same ▁article ▁referred ▁to ▁Black he ath , ▁the ▁Gi ps ies , ▁and ▁Rav ens court ▁Park , ▁as ▁being ▁the ▁three ▁crack ▁clubs . ▁ ▁Despite ▁its ▁prom inen ance ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s , ▁the ▁club ▁was ▁dis band ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁ ▁Foundation ▁of ▁the ▁R F U ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁January ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁ 3 2 ▁members ▁representing ▁twenty - one ▁London ▁and ▁sub urban ▁football ▁clubs ▁that ▁followed ▁Rugby ▁School ▁rules ▁( W as ps ▁were ▁invited ▁but ▁failed ▁to ▁attend ) ▁assemble d ▁at ▁the ▁P all ▁Mall ▁R estaur ant ▁in ▁Reg ent ▁Street . ▁E . C . ▁Hol mes , ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁Richmond ▁Club ▁assumed ▁the ▁presiden cy . ▁It ▁was ▁resolved ▁un anim ously ▁that ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁Rugby ▁Football ▁Society ▁was ▁des irable ▁and ▁thus ▁the ▁Rugby ▁Football ▁Union ▁was ▁formed . ▁A ▁president , ▁a ▁secretary ▁and ▁tre as urer , ▁and ▁a ▁committee ▁of ▁th ir teen ▁were ▁elected , ▁to ▁whom ▁was ▁entr usted ▁the ▁drawing - up ▁of ▁the ▁laws ▁of ▁the ▁game ▁upon ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁the ▁code ▁in ▁use ▁at ▁Rugby ▁School . ▁Francis ▁L us com be ▁represented ▁The ▁Gi ps ies ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁of