Traditional rugby boots are very similar to football boots ... Kickers prefer a tight-fitting boot because it gives them a better feel for the ball, while props like a high ankle cut for extra support ...

Image caption, By the 1960s the kicker placed the ball on a lump of soil dug from the pitch with the heel of the boot. The ball is angled forwards, towards the goal posts, suggesting the kicker ...

Gavin Duffy is a former international rugby union player whose position on the pitch was primarily full-back. A significant member of the Connacht team he has ten caps picking up his first back in ...