Rugby League

Alongside rugby union, rugby league is 1 of rugby’s 2 main “codes”, established following the sport’s 1895 “schism”. As well as the 2 variations having slightly different rules and regulations, rugby league is also perceived by many to be the more working-class code. Like union, though, rugby league has a large international audience and is especially popular in many of the same regions: plenty of top players can be found in Australasia, Europe, and the Pacific Islands.

📜 Rugby League History

The decision taken by 21 English rugby teams – mostly based in Yorkshire and Lancashire – to break-away from their southern counterparts in 1895 is referred to as rugby’s “schism”, and it changed the sport forever. These northern clubs sought to pay their players vital compensation for missing work, a move towards professionalism which southern clubs resisted. The resulting fall-out gave birth to the Northern Rugby Football Union, and a form of rugby which still retains a working-class reputation.

Rugby league is perfect for those looking for a sport which rewards invention and patience, whilst also exhibiting fluidity gameplay and explosive physicality. As well as agility and quick ball skills, rugby league also requires grit and toughness, with players needing to dust themselves down after big hits and get stuck into their opponents again straight away. The annual trophies for England’s Super Leagues’ best players of the year, for example, are called the Man and Woman of Steel awards, exemplifying the code’s dedication to stoicism and strength.

💯 Rugby League Format & Scoring

Though tries and kicks are of course fundamental parts of rugby league, they are worth fewer points than in rugby union: a try in rugby league is rewarded with 4 points, while conversions and penalties are worth 2 points each, and drop goals are worth 1 point. Another key difference between league and union is league’s tackle limit: the team in possession is permitted to be tackled 6 times before the ball is handed over to the other team, whether the former team has scored a point or not.

Rugby league is the quicker of the rugby codes, with fast restarts and less emphasis on kicking and set pieces. Instead, league makes more use of the space afforded by the comparatively smaller number of players on each team: rugby league teams field 13 players each, compared to 15 apiece in union. The speed of rugby league means that players must be versatile athletes, and points and tackles can come from anywhere!

At club level, teams compete in national or regional divisions, as well as seeking to qualify for elite continental or intercontinental tournaments and knock-out cups. Although there is a recognisably English-speaking emphasis in regard to rugby league’s established powers, the code also has strong fanbases in mainland Europe and many Pacific Island nations. Rugby league’s global arena is thus a major part of its appeal; international competitions such as the Rugby League World Cup are highly competitive.