Why is rugby league and rugby union are all different?

Answer 1

When the game was in its infancy it was only Rugby union. The game around 1870 was spreading and was just starting to become a game for all classes as in its initial starting period it was only those from "well to do" families that could afford to play the game. As more working class people caught the rugby bug the game started to spread out of the universities and large London based areas throughout the north of the UK. However, players were not paid to play. Northern clubs noted some great talent starting to develop especially around the steel and coal areas but as there came the depression work dried up and people were moving south to find work taking with them the rugby talent. The northern clubs put forward a motion that players should be paid, this was to enable them to keep the emerging talented players but the RFU refuse and dismissed this stating the game was to remain amateur (non paid). The northern clubs decided to break away from the RFU setting up the NRL (National Rugby League) They set in place changes to the structure of a side reducing it from 15 to 13 players (removing the 2 flankers) removed the rucks, mauls and lineouts and started to pay players from gate charges. The game took off as it became a fast open game. It was not until the year 2000 that the IRB, the governing body of the rugby union decided to allow players to be paid. This was due to the fact that the game was changing, players were expected to be "proffessional" and train daily but they also saw a number of union players swtching code because of the fact that the game has a short life span for a player (because of the type of injuries encountered) and many players naturally needed to secure their financial future.