Paul Rouse: The fable of William Webb Ellis and the Tipperary connection

As for his part, William Webb Ellis was unable to record his own thoughts on the matter. He was dead when the story of his invention of rugby was created.

FOUNDING FATHER? The grave of William Webb Ellis at the Vieux-Chateau cemetery in Menton, southeastern France. Webb Ellis, who the World Cup is named after, is presented as the founder of rugby but the difficulty with the story is that he didn’t in fact invent the sport, our columnist argues. Picture: Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images

We will more or less believe anything, if it suits us.

That is one of the great truths of history. It is what makes so much of the nonsense that is generated and propagated so freely on social media so dangerous.