The Rugby Codebreakers

Editorial

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One

BBC One East

BBC Two

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

BBC One London

London

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

BBC One North West

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One Yorkshire

BBC One Oxfordshire

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Wales

Wales

BBC Two Scotland

BBC Two Northern Ireland

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

Carolyn Hitt

Tariq Ali

Alan Golding

Tony Mabey

Documentaries

Factual

Factual: History

BBC One - The Rugby Codebreakers

Carolyn Hitt tells the untold story of the Welsh rugby union players in rugby league.

Carolyn Hitt investigates why so many men gave up their dreams of playing rugby union for Wales, by committing an act that was considered tantamount to treason – switching codes to play rugby league. 

Broadcaster and journalist Carolyn Hitt investigates why so many men gave up their dreams of playing rugby union for Wales, to seek fame and fortune among the mills of Lancashire and Yorkshire by committing an act that was considered tantamount to treason – switching codes to play rugby league. Her journey explores the impact of class, race and economic change on the game at the heart of Welsh identity.
 
During rugby union’s amateur era (1895-1995), more than 150 full Welsh union internationals and hundreds of uncapped union players did the unthinkable and ran the risk of being both ostracised and vilified by their fellow countrymen. They may have headed north with a heavy heart but once they had switched codes, many went on to become huge success stories across the north of England; stories that have remained largely untold in Wales.
 
Carolyn hears open and honest reflections from former players on both sides of the border, interviewing Welsh rugby legends Gareth Edwards and Jonathan Davies in Wales, and heading north to meet the players who didn’t come home. They reveal their life-changing experiences as rugby codebreakers and Carolyn uncovers the hidden history of the players who were forced to turn their back on Wales because of the colour of their skin.
 
The Rugby Codebreakers is the story of men who were deemed pariahs and outcasts in their own country but became heroes and legends to the working men and women of the north of England – and whose achievements should now be recognised at home

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Rugby Codebreakers

Contributors

Genres

Formats

BBC One East

About BBC One