 | Rugby | Rugby League |
|---|---|---|
| Countries | Rugby Union: played worldwide. Rugby League: professional leagues in Australia, New Zealand, England, France, Papua New Guinea. | Professional Rugby league is only played in Australia, England, New Zealand, France and Ppua New Guinea |
| Major League | Union: Premiership, Top 14, URC, Super Rugby, MLR. League: NRL (Australia), Super League (England). | NRL & Super League |
| What is it? | A continuous-play contact sport with minimal protective equipment. Comes in two codes: Rugby Union (15 players) and Rugby League (13 players). | A variant of Rugby (the other main code being Union) that split and formed its owned rules in 1895, started in the North of England. |
| Number of players | Rugby Union: 15 (or 7 in Sevens). Rugby League: 13 (or 9 in Nines). | 13 on the field, 4 interchanges. |
| Object of the Game | Score via try (Union: 5 pts, League: 4 pts), conversion (2 pts), penalty goal (3 pts/2 pts), or drop goal (3 pts/2 pts). | Score more points than the opposing team. A try equals 4 points and a conversion is 2 points, penalty goal worth 2 points and a drop goal is worth 2 points depending how far is kicked. |
| Passing rules | Only lateral or backward passes allowed. Forward passes are illegal and result in a penalty. | Only lateral or backwards. |
| Downs / Possession | No downs system. Possession continues until turnover via tackle (League: 6-tackle rule), penalty, or error. | 6 tackles. |
| Play structure | Continuous play with stoppages only for penalties, scoring, or ball out of bounds. Restarts via contested scrums, lineouts (in Rugby Union) or play-the-ball (in Rugby league) | Continuous play, after each tackle a "play the ball will occur. Scrums occur but are uncontested when the balls go out of bounds or is dropped. |
| Time limit | Two 40-minute halves with a 10-minute halftime. Clock stops only for prolonged injuries. | Two 40-minute halves with a 10-minute halftime. Clock stops only for prolonged injuries. |
| Ball | Prolate spheroid, ~27 cm long, ~60 cm circumference, ~1 lb. Rounder than American football. | egg shaped ball. |
| Field | 100 m long (plus in-goal areas up to 22 m) by 70 m wide. Goal posts on the try line. | 100m |
| Number of Officials | Rugby Union: 1 referee, 2 assistant referees, 1 TMO (video). Rugby League: 1 referee, 2 touch judges, 1 video referee. | 1 referee, 2 touch judges, 1 video referee |
| Protective gear | Only mouthguard required. Soft padding on head, shoulders, collarbone allowed but not mandatory. | Only mouthguard required. Soft padding on head, shoulders, collarbone allowed but not mandatory. |
| Substitution | Rugby Union: Up to 8 subs; generally cannot return. Rugby League: Up to 10 interchanges depending on competition. | Rugby League: Up to 10 interchanges depending on competition. |
| Blocking | Illegal. Only the ball carrier may be tackled. Obstruction of players without the ball is penalized. | Illegal. Only the ball carrier may be tackled. Obstruction of players without the ball is penalized. |
| Tackling rules | Must wrap arms around the ball carrier. Tackles must be at or below the shoulders. High tackles penalized. | Must wrap arms around the ball carrier. Tackles must be at or below the shoulders. High tackles penalized. |
| Major Tournaments | Union: Rugby World Cup, Six Nations, The Rugby Championship. League: Rugby League World Cup. | Rugby League World Cup, State of Origin (Australia) |
| Current World Champions | Union: South Africa (2023 World Cup). League: Australia (2021 World Cup; next in 2026). | Australia (2021 World Cup) |
| Highest governing body | Rugby Union: World Rugby. Rugby League: International Rugby League (IRL). | International Rugby League |
| Player Size | Varies by position: 170-290 lbs (77-132 kg) typical range. Props/locks largest; backs lighter and faster. | as light as 70kg, around 130kg max. |
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