When Did Rugby Union Go Professional?

[Lynn_M]

What was it like it those days? From what I know, there were no competitions apart from the 5 Nations; all club rugby games were friendlies. I remember seeing a 'league table' in an old newspaper where all the local clubs were listed alphabetically with their season's record in percentages.

Who were the 'big clubs' in those days and what sort of gates did they get? I've seen Bath FC's ground, and next to an association ground, it wasn't very impressive; though it may have been adequate to their needs. Bath City's ground (in the Conference) was far better

[Buenchico]

Quote 1:
"The RFU had long resisted leagues competitions, as it was thought that they would encourage player payments, thus most club matches were only organised friendlies, with competitions such as the County Cups and County Championship existing also. In 1972 the RFU sanctioned a knock-out competition, which was revamped in 2005 into a competition for top-tier English and Welsh sides now known as the LV= Cup. The league evolved over time since starting in 1987 when the Courage Leagues were formed, a league pyramid that had more than 1000 clubs playing in 108 leagues; each with promotion and relegation"

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union_in_England#Formation_of_leagues

Quote 2:
"Following the advent of the Rugby World Cup tournament in 1987, rugby union became a big draw for television ratings.

Rumours circulated during the 1995 Rugby World Cup that media tycoon Rupert Murdoch was about to finance a breakaway professional league of rugby union players (as had already happened in Australian rugby league).

This threat was genuine – he had already signed up some of the world’s best players. The game had to take the initiative and so immediately after the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the International Rugby Football Board decided to open the sport to professionals"

Source:
http://www.englandrugby.com/twickenham/world-rugby-museum/rugby-history/the-amateur-era/#