This week's 'Rugby Reloaded' goes audio-visual and looks at the Mitchell & Kenyon rugby films of 1901-03. These are the earliest collection of rugby films from almost the dawn of moving pictures, and were filmed just as the Northern Union was mid-way in its evolution from rugby union rules to what became rugby league. And they also show some of the early giants of the sport - Dicky Lockwood, Albert Goldthorpe and James Lomas - in action.

To watch the videos discussed in the podcast, go to this YouTube playlist. You can buy the Edwardian Sports DVD which features the Northern Union films, plus soccer, cricket and athletics direct from the BFI Shop, where you can also buy Professor Vanessa Toulmin’s fascinating book Electric Edwardians about the complete collection of Mitchell & Kenyon films.

For a really deep dive into the matches, here are the line-ups:

Oldham v Swinton (12 January 1901) 5-7 [Match void, replay 3-3]

Oldham: Thomas; Davies (t), S. Lees (g), Fletcher, Huzzey; Lawton, A. Lees; Foster, Wormald, Wilkinson, Telfer, Moffat, Bonsor, Broome, Ellis
Swinton: Chorley; Lewis, Messer (t), R. Valentine (2g), Hampson; Davies, Morgan; Harris, Pomfret, Jones, Preston, J Valentine, Vigors, Berry, Pollit

Hunslet v Leeds (16 February 1901) 16-0

Hunslet: Mitchell; Hannah, W Goldthorpe, Wileman, Smith (2t); Robinson, A Goldthorpe (t, 2g); Ramage, Wilson, Lunn, Brookes, Tunningley, Shooter (t), Glew Baggott
Leeds: Jagger; Chadwick, Coleman, Bentley, Willey; Daltry, Jackson; Crowther, Malins, Hanson, Ross, Horner, Phillips, Taylor, Laycock

Salford v Batley (2 November 1901) 14-6

Salford: Smith; Hayton, Williams (2t), Varty (t), Price; Lomas (t, g), Griffiths; Buckler, Tunney, Rhapps, Heath, Williams, Brown, Shaw, Gledhill
Batley: Wilford; Auty, Fozzard (t), Dai Fitzgerald, Goodall; Davis, Oakland; Spurr (t), Stubley, Clayton, Judge, Phillips, Hollingsworth, Shackleton, Rodgers

Northern Union Challenge Cup Final - Halifax v Salford (25 April 1903 at Headingley) 7-0

Halifax: Little; Wedgwood, Williams, Rigg, Hadwen (2g); Morley, Joe Riley; Jock Riley, Bartle (t), Malinson, Swinbank, Morton, Hammond, Bulmer, Winskill
Salford: Smith; Norris, Nesser, Lomas, Bell; Hartner, Griffiths; Williams, Rhapps, Tunney, Heath, Brown, Buckler, Shaw, Shore