The Game

History in England

In 1895 the game of Rugby was reaching a peak of popularity. In the south it had become the pastime of the rich and fettered classes, taught and revered in private schools and universities. This culture had grown since the game's founding at Rugby School a few decades earlier. More surprisingly, the game had also become very popular amongst the working classes across the industrial and mining areas of Northern England and Southern Wales. The top Northern teams were beginning to dominate the sport. However, success also brought its problems, because of the time and location of matches, players had to take time off work, losing money as a result. Several of the top teams put together a proposal that meant that teams would be able to compensate players for their lost earnings, a phrase "Broken Time" was coined and used to describe the type of payments involved. Despite being inordinately rich, the rulers of the game at Twickenham were also incredibly arrogant. They felt that the locus of power would shift to the north if they allowed this concession. Consequently, they turned down the request, believing that this show of power would cause the rebel clubs to back down and equilibrium would return. They were wrong. The next move saw a secret get together of the rebel clubs in the George Hotel in Huddersfield. The meeting was convened to discuss a response to the governing body, and the upshot was a breakaway of several top clubs, the majority from the north of England, to form the Northern Union.

The Rugby Football Union (the owners of Rugby Union), were up in arms and placed sanctions on the clubs and the players that played for them, effectively banning them from ever rejoining or playing for clubs aligned to, the RFU.

From that point the two bodies and eventually the two sports diverged, the Northern Union soon became the Rugby Football League (the owners of Rugby League), paying its players for "Broken Time" and tampering with the rules. First the teams were reduced to thirteen players, taking away lineouts, replacing rucks and mauls with a Play the Ball. Eventually most clubs became semi professional but for the next 90 years the game in England became insular and was confined geographically to the north of the country.

The competition comprised of a league and one major cup whose final (since 1929) has been played at Wembley to a full house and a television audience of millions. Since the inception of Superleague and a transfer to playing in the summer months, the biggest game of the season is now the Grand Final. This is the culmination of the league programme and is played at Old Trafford (the home of Manchester United). This final draws over 60,000 spectators and an international television audience. The appeal of the game is such that it is now played in every region of the country, a conference league provides newer clubs the opportunity to develop and progress at their own rate.

Until the professionalisation of Rugby (Union), players playing league (either as an amateur of a professional) were banned sine die from playing union. Even worse, any player knowingly playing union alongside a player banned for playing league would also be banned.

Interestingly some of the major advancements within RU have come about from copying RL; e.g. Sin Bin, Use of substitutes, Video refereeing. Indeed, since the acceptance of professionalism many direct appointments have been made to RU from RL that have benefited their respective teams in coaching, managing and playing. English Full Back Jason Robinson, Welsh Fly Half Iestyn Harris, Australian wingers Mat Rogers and Wendell Sailor and back Duncan McRae all began their careers as full time Rugby League Players. Even the great Jonah Lomu began as a Junior Kiwi (the nickname for the New Zealand national team).

Rules: a brief overview

Each team comprises 13 players, although nominally divided into forwards and backs all players are expected to demonstrate the full range of skills. Each team is allowed to keep the ball for six 'tackles', akin to the American Football "down" but happens much faster! Once a player has been tackled, i.e. grounded or his momentum stopped, the defence must release him and retire ten meters. Two defenders are allowed to remain with the tackled player to 'mark' him but they must not move until the ball is back in play. The ball is deemed to be back in play when the tackled player stands places the ball on the floor and rolls the ball backwards with the sole of his foot (a play the ball) One of his colleagues will be stood behind (usually the hooker) waiting to receive it. As soon as the ball rolls backwards the ball is in play and the defenders can move. Any encroachment at the play the ball by the markers or the ten meters by the defensive line will result in a penalty for offside. Stealing the ball in the tackle is not allowed unless the challenge is one defender Vs one attacker. If the ball is stolen when there is more than one tackler or after the tackle is deemed by the referee to be complete then a penalty is awarded. When a penalty is awarded the recipient team shall either kick for goal, restart play from the point of the penalty with six more tackles to complete, or kick for field position. In the case of the latter, the six-tackle sequence will begin adjacent to the point that the ball leaves the field of play.

Each team has six attempts or tackles' to score a try, which means placing the ball, with full control over the defending team's try-line. A try will receive 4 points, after a try there will be an attempt at goal from the point on the pitch where the try is scored (as in RU), penalty goals are worth 2 points and dropped goals are worth 1 point.

If not try is scored within the set of six tackles then possession is handed over to the opposition, usually this is done by kicking possession away in attempt to gain field position or attack the defenders. If the ball is knocked on or put into touch (on any tackle except the last) play will recommence with a scrum (scrums are very rare in RL). Infringement on the last tackle will result in a hand over.

A match is played over two periods of 40 minutes. Ten interchange, substitutions are allowed from four substitutes. Play does not stop for injuries unless they are deemed to be serious.

International history

By 1910 both Australia and New Zealand had taken up the sport. The New Zealand "All Golds" being the first touring team of any type of rugby. League became the most popular sport on the eastern seaboard of Australia. By the 1930's France had also taken up the game, and by the beginning of W.W.II had become the dominant form of rugby. However, during the Nazi occupation, union sympathisers conspired to have league's considerable assets seized and the game banned (as documented in the book "The Forbidden Game"). Even now the matter of the missing assets is under consideration by European courts, and the game in France is still trying to recover its former glories.

The 1950's saw the game taken on by the people of Papua New Guinea, Italy and Yugoslavia. Unfortunately, union pressure and the threat of bans suffocated the Italian and Yugoslav leagues at birth. PNG with the support of Australia flourished and the sport is now the country's national game. The 50's also saw the first RL world cup, decades before the first RU competition. The 1980's and 90's came the great revolution, particularly with second generation English and Australian Ex pats introducing the game to their homelands. Russia was the first with the knock on effect of development in Khazakstan and Moldova. USA and South Africa followed. All of these countries now operate a league structure. Second generation Lebanese Australians put together "the Cedars" a Harlem Globetrotter type outfit playing exhibition games against crack Aussie teams. This team gained qualification to the 2000 World cup, representing the country of their parents (without ever having played on home soil), and performed creditably. They were the first national team to represent Lebanon at any world cup and such was the interest at home that plans are now afoot to introduce the game in the country. Other countries where league is played in some form are Canada, Morocco, Kenya, Japan, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Italy, Tartazan, Serbia, Spain, Germany, Ukraine, Latvia, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and most recently, Finland. Aussie ex pats are also focussing in on Greece and Cyprus.

Australia are the current World Champions after defeating New Zealand in the final of 2000 World Cup. Each Year the UK champions play the Australian Champions for the "World Club Championship". 2002 saw Bradford Bulls (UK) defeat Newcastle Knights (Aus). 2003 will see the re-introduction of the popular, Sydney "World" Sevens competition where the Australian professional teams play host to national teams from all around the world in a weekend jamboree.

Expansion North America

The game in the USA is centred on the north-eastern seaboard and the competition currently has six teams. New York Knights, Philadelphia Fight, Glenn Mills Bulls, New Jersey Sharks, Media Mantarays and Wilmington Vikings. Glenn Mills Bulls were the 2001 champions; the 2002 season has just begun. The national team, "the tomahawks" have played host to and defeated Ireland in the "St Patrick's Day Challenge" and will play host to the Japanese in June. Expansion is also being planned for Arizona and Hawaii. The Americans are keen to host a Pacific Cup in Hawaii (possibly some time in the next two years), involving all pacific and pacific rim nations along with the Australian Aborigines and the Moaris from New Zealand.

The Canadian game is disparate and scattered, but matches are played regularly and the Canadian National team has taken part in World Cup Qualifying rounds and the Student World Cup. Been in existence for around 20 years.

Expansion Africa

The South Africans have toyed with Rugby League for a number of decades. Currently the game is played in and around the major cities in an organised league. SA plays regular internationals and lost heavily to France and England U21s on home soil during 2001, and were represented in 1995 and 2000 World Cups. Morocco has a league structure based around the city of Casablanca. The game struggles for funding but playing numbers are increasing. Many Moroccan nationals play league in the French competition. Played in WC2000 qualifying but failed to do justice to them selves. Kenya is the newest African nation to take up the sport. 2002 has seen them set up a governing body and begin to run awareness and training seminars.

Expansion Europe

RL has become a popular alternative sport in Ireland, and has produced a number of professional players during the short existence of their league. Reached the Q Final of the last World Cup. Scotland now have an established league of teams, whilst Welsh teams are making progress in the English Conference Leagues.

The game in Russia is expanding rapidly with over 50,000 registered players. 2003 will see two Russian club sides enter the English RL Challenge Cup Competition. The recent European Student Cup was held in the city of Kazan in Tartazan, games being played in front of full stadiums and the host nation losing narrowly to the English students in the final. Further east the game has a foot hold in Khazakstan particularly around the city of Alma Ata. And Moldova has also been represented at Student competition level. New competitions are now in place in Ukraine and Latvia, working closely with the Russian Federation. 2002 has also seen teams set up in Serbia (reviving memories of Yugoslavia in the 50s) in the city of Belgrade and five more around Finland.

Italy is in the lead to host the next Student competition. The game, which is very popular amongst the Basque people of Southern France, is slowly being taken on by their Spanish compatriots. British forces in Germany have held matches against locals, although there has been no move to formally organise the game there.

The Pacific

This is the real stronghold of the sport. By far the world's strongest league is in Australia, who includes the New Zealand Warriors (a team based in Auckland). The league is full of New Zealanders, Samoans, Fijians, and Tongans who all add strength to their local leagues and national teams. Thousands of New Guineans play the game and it's stars gain superstar status in the country. A national holiday was declared when the national team reached the Q Final of the last World Cup. Japan now operates a structured league and is feeling the benefit of regular competition. Very few Pacific Islands do not play league and one of the smallest; the Cook Islands were surprise qualifiers for the 2000 World Cup.

Web links:
USA National Rugby League
World of Rugby League
World's Premier RL Publisher