The event re-enacted the moment in 1823 when William Webb Elllis, a pupil at the school, was said to have carried the ball "with a fine disregard for the rules of the game as it was played at that time" during a school match on "The Close," Rugby School's famous playing field.

"Something must have happened that is pretty arresting," Welsh international flanker and British Lion John Taylor told insidethegames,

"How it happened I don't know because I am sure a referee must have blown up for foul play."

A letter from Matthew Bloxham, a Warwickshire historian and former Rugby schoolboy, was published in The Meteor, a Rugby School publication in 1876.

"So far as the rules authorised the ball being taken up and carried by hand, I have ascertained that this change originated with a town boy William Webb Elllis," wrote Moxham.

Although many have cast doubt on the authenticity of the incident at Rugby School executive headmaster Peter Green insists that the story rings true.

"Effectively William Webb Ellis was a pauper a day boy, he’s the underdog and he was selected to be the hero of our game," Green said.

A crowd of around 1,000 were drawn to The Close for a day of celebrations.

"It's a great testament to the nature of the sport {that} you look at people from all over the world have come to join us, and the lovely thing is its not just members related to Rugby School," Green added.

Wilkinson, a patron of the rugby 200th anniversary celebrations joined the spectators.

It was Wilkinson who kicked the dramatic last-minute drop-goal to win the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final for England against Australia.

In 2015, he had taken part in a similar re-enactment with Prince Harry which was filmed for the Rugby World Cup Opening Ceremony.

"He’s come to actually support us, that illustrates the importance of this playing field and what happened at Rugby School 200 years ago and he is rugby royalty," Green continued.

Some 300 pupils at the school re-created episodes from two centuries of the history of the Game in a special pageant.

In two commemorative matches which followed, Rugby School teams drawn from staff and former pupils defeated the "Vets and Legends" sides raised by the Wooden Spoon Society, a charity which supports vulnerable children.

Bicentenary commemorative caps bearing the date 1823 and the crest of the lion's claw were presented after an effort to track down everyone who had played for the school,

As part of the 200th anniversary celebrations, Rugby School "House" matches next season are to take place on "The Close" in a move to give all pupils the opportunity to play on the ground where rugby was established.