Rugby league is a full-contact team sport, played with an oval ball by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. Rugby league is one of the two codes of rugby football, the other being rugby union. Rugby league was established in 1895, when twenty-two members of the Rugby Football Union in England revolted in protest about compensation for working class players.
The objective in rugby league is to score more points through tries, goals and field goals (also known as drop goals) than the opposition within the 80 minutes of play. The try is the most common form of scoring, and a team will usually attempt to score one by running and kicking the ball further upfield, or passing from player-to-player in order to manoeuvre around the opposition's defence. A goal is worth two points and may be gained from a conversion or a penalty. A field goal is only worth one point, and is gained by kicking the ball between the uprights in open play. If after two halves of play, each consisting of forty minutes, the two teams are drawing, a draw may be declared, or the game may enter extra time under the golden point rule, depending on the relevant competition's format.
Rugby league is most prominent in Australia, England, New Zealand, France and Papua New Guinea (where it is considered the national sport). It is also played professionally in France, Wales and the United States. New Zealand are the current World Cup holders. The game is played at a semi-professional and amateur level in several other countries, such as Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Ireland, Scotland, Russia, Lebanon, Germany, Japan, United States, Malta and Jamaica.
Players on field are divided into forwards and backs. Each position has a designated number, 1 to 13. Numbers 14 to 17 are given to players starting on the bench, who will come into the game as substitutes for other players who are injured, in need of a rest, or for tactical reasons. If you are new to the game or watching for the first time you may find these designated numbers confusing as a player with number 23 on their back may enter the field of play from the substitutes bench rather than the numbers 14 to 17. You may also notice a number 11 playing centre rather than the afore mentioned number 3 or 4 (centres designated number). This is due to the introduction of squad numbers on the inception of Super League in the summer of 1996. These squad numbers were introduced for every super league player in order for every teams squad members to be easily identifiable rather than the position in which they play and therefore numbers between 20 and 30 can be readily seen on the field of play. Typically the bench comprises three forward substitutes and a hooker/halves substitute. Each side is allowed 12 substitutions per game.
Rugby league is played in more than 30 countries, though it is most commonly played in the United Kingdom (predominantly northern England), Australia and New Zealand. Australia, where it is a winter sport, is the strongest of the three. Rugby league is most popular in England, Australia and New Zealand and it is recognised as the national sport in Papua New Guinea. It is also played professionally in France, and Wales There are also plans to have a professional competition running in the United States by 2010.
A National Rugby League game at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia during the 2004 NRL season. The 2006 NRL Grand Final between Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm at Olympic Stadium, Sydney. Until New Zealand's victory in 2008, Australia had won every world cup since 1975. Until 25 November 2005, they had also not lost an international tournament or series of any kind for twenty-seven years until they lost to New Zealand in the final of the 2005 Tri-Nations Series at Elland Road in Leeds.
In Australia, it is the dominant winter sport in Queensland and New South Wales, as well as being popular in the Australian Capital Territory and having a minor foothold in the Northern Territory. The other four states have low participication and knowledge with many struggling to differentiate between rugby union and rugby league.
The objective in rugby league is to score more points through tries, goals and field goals (also known as drop goals) than the opposition within the 80 minutes of play. The try is the most common form of scoring, and a team will usually attempt to score one by running and kicking the ball further upfield, or passing from player-to-player in order to manoeuvre around the opposition's defence. A goal is worth two points and may be gained from a conversion or a penalty. A field goal is only worth one point, and is gained by kicking the ball between the uprights in open play. If after two halves of play, each consisting of forty minutes, the two teams are drawing, a draw may be declared, or the game may enter extra time under the golden point rule, depending on the relevant competition's format.
Rugby league is most prominent in Australia, England, New Zealand, France and Papua New Guinea (where it is considered the national sport). It is also played professionally in France, Wales and the United States. New Zealand are the current World Cup holders. The game is played at a semi-professional and amateur level in several other countries, such as Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Ireland, Scotland, Russia, Lebanon, Germany, Japan, United States, Malta and Jamaica.
Players on field are divided into forwards and backs. Each position has a designated number, 1 to 13. Numbers 14 to 17 are given to players starting on the bench, who will come into the game as substitutes for other players who are injured, in need of a rest, or for tactical reasons. If you are new to the game or watching for the first time you may find these designated numbers confusing as a player with number 23 on their back may enter the field of play from the substitutes bench rather than the numbers 14 to 17. You may also notice a number 11 playing centre rather than the afore mentioned number 3 or 4 (centres designated number). This is due to the introduction of squad numbers on the inception of Super League in the summer of 1996. These squad numbers were introduced for every super league player in order for every teams squad members to be easily identifiable rather than the position in which they play and therefore numbers between 20 and 30 can be readily seen on the field of play. Typically the bench comprises three forward substitutes and a hooker/halves substitute. Each side is allowed 12 substitutions per game.
Rugby league is played in more than 30 countries, though it is most commonly played in the United Kingdom (predominantly northern England), Australia and New Zealand. Australia, where it is a winter sport, is the strongest of the three. Rugby league is most popular in England, Australia and New Zealand and it is recognised as the national sport in Papua New Guinea. It is also played professionally in France, and Wales There are also plans to have a professional competition running in the United States by 2010.
A National Rugby League game at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia during the 2004 NRL season. The 2006 NRL Grand Final between Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm at Olympic Stadium, Sydney. Until New Zealand's victory in 2008, Australia had won every world cup since 1975. Until 25 November 2005, they had also not lost an international tournament or series of any kind for twenty-seven years until they lost to New Zealand in the final of the 2005 Tri-Nations Series at Elland Road in Leeds.
In Australia, it is the dominant winter sport in Queensland and New South Wales, as well as being popular in the Australian Capital Territory and having a minor foothold in the Northern Territory. The other four states have low participication and knowledge with many struggling to differentiate between rugby union and rugby league.
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