Did Rugby, very popular in the UK today, originate in England in the early 19th century?

Rugby's origins are indeed rooted in England during the early 19th century, specifically around 1823. The story goes that William Webb Ellis, a student at Rugby School in Warwickshire, famously picked up the ball and ran with it during a football match. While the details might be a bit embellished over time, this event is widely credited as the spark that led to the development of rugby football. Rugby School played a crucial role in formalizing the rules of the game, distinguishing it from association football (soccer). The early versions of the rugby ball were more oval-shaped, resembling an egg, due to the use of inflated pig bladders. So, the statement is true because the sport's inception and initial development clearly took place in England in the early 1800s, evolving from a specific incident at Rugby School.