Rugby League. ----------------------------- I'd say rugby League because it's fast, tough and its 80mins of hard work. In Union it's all stopping and it's very very slow game, it's just like nfl . RL you do not stop.
Rugby League originated in the north of England. In 1886, the Rugby Football Union introduced strict amateur-only rules to combat the dominance of the game by working class northern clubs. In 1893, a proposal to pay players six shillings when they missed work due to playing commitments is rejected by the Rugby Union. In 1895, 21 rugby clubs from Lancashire and Yorkshire meet in Huddersfield and form the breakaway Northern Rugby Football Union. In 1897, the Northern Union abolishes line-outs and reduces goals to 2 points and tries to 3 points. In 1906, the number of players is reduced from 15 to 13, rucks and mauls are replaced by play-the-balls and rugby league is created as we know it today.
If the other team makes a mistake such as forward pass, knock-on or they kicked the ball away in rugby league the opposing team gains possession of the ball. It is the same in the union code but there are rucks, mauls, line-outs and scrums which can give the defending team opportunities to gain possession.
There are many differences from rugby league and rugby union. Rugby league is predominantly a running game, each team has possession until they are tackled [taken to the ground] 5 times, after this possession is turned over to the opposition. On the fifth play the team in possession usually kicks for good field position when the opposition attacks, quite like in 'American' Football. In Rugby union there are far more rules and regulations. In union the attacking team stays in possession until they commit a foul, this can be in the form of a knock forward, accidental offside, not realeasing the ball on the ground, coming in from the side, playing the ball on the ground, not staying on your feet in the rook, etc. The defending team may also turn over the ball in a rook or maul or may intercept a pass, providing they are on side. Alternatively the attacking team can kick for good field position or a line-out, line outs are not found in rugby league. Apart from the same positions and player numbers and the basic rule that the ball cannot be passed forward, there are very few similarities between league and union.
The is a front row player in the scrum - The hooker whose role is to throw in to line outs and in scrums attempt to"hook" the ball back and win possession
The main difference between Rugby League and Rugby Union lies in what happens in the tackle situation. In Union when a player is tackled (Their progress is physically halted by the opposition) the ball is recycled by a ruck (if the ball is on the ground) or by a maul (if the ball is held up off the ground). One recycling of the ball is called a phase and there is no limit to the number of phases as long as a team keeps possesssion of the ball. In League when a player with the ball is tackled the referee will halt play and it is restarted when the tackled player stands, places the ball on the ground and rakes it back with his foot to the player (dummy-half) behind them. The opposition must retreat 10 metres from the play-of the-ball except for two markers who line up in front of the player of the ball. The team in possession can recycle the ball 5 times in this manner but if they are tackled with the ball a 6th time then the ball is handed over to the opposition. In rugby union the shoulder charge is illegal, players must use their arms in a tackle, whereas in rugby league a shoulder charge is a legitmate form of tackle. In rugby league a tackle stops play but in rugby union play continues with a ruck or maul where players from either side lock together and push against those of the other side for territorial advantage or for better position over the ball. This requires players to be bound together (holding on to each other), this is why they must use their arms in the tackle. Another significant difference is what happens when the ball goes into touch (the ball crosses the sideline, leaving the field of play). In Union play is restarted with a lineout whereas in League play is restarted with a scrum. A lineout means players of each side stand in line perpendicular to the sideline and next to one another and the ball is pitched from the sideline up between the 2 lines. Players jump up for possession of the ball. There can be up to eight players per team involved in the lineout, the number is determined by the team throwing in. A scrum is the locking of a group of players from each side and their pushing as a team against the group from the other team. As the ball is dropped down between the 2 teams on the ground, each side pushes against the other in order that the ball passes under their feet to their half-back/scrum half. If the ball is forced in goal by the defending team then a drop-kick is taken to restart play in both codes, however in rugby league the drop-kick is taken from the goal line but in rugby it is taken from the 22 metre line. In rugby union, if the ball is carried into the in-goal area by the defending team and then forced or put dead (over the dead ball line or into touch in the in-goal area) then a scrum is awarded to the attacking team 5 metres from the goal line. Number-wise: a Rugby Union team consists of 15 players and a Rugby League team has 13 players (eliminating the two flankers from the side of the scrum). Rugby Union points: a try is worth 5 points, a conversion is 2 points, a penalty goal is 3 points and a drop-goal is 3 points. Rugby League points: a try is worth 4 points, a conversion is 2 points, a penalty goal is 2 points and a drop-goal is 1 point. rugby union differences from league (rules) Union: unlimited tackles, League: 6 before turn over Union: pass the ball along the ground to dummy half, League: get up and roll under foot. Union: when ball is kicked out there is throw ins. League: either team can receive another set of 6 depending on what's happened. Union: 5 point try, 7 if converted, 2 point field goal, 3 point penalty goal. (Field goal is 3 points) League: 4 point try, 6 if converted, 1 point field goal, 2 point penalty goal. Roughly 2 more people on field at once in union than league. Numbers for positions are different. Rugby Union is more tactical than Rugby League and there is more room for error. there are many more differences than people think and to many to list. Rugby Union restarts with a scrum or a lineout. Rugby League restart normally with a dummy scrum or a tap and play. Rugby union has rucks and mauls. Rugby League restart after a tackle with a dummy scrum Rugby Union has 15 players. Rugby League has 13. Rugby League has 2 forwards less than union. The flank or loose forwards numbers 6 &7. League and union forwards use their physicality in different ways; league forwards act more as individuals while union forwards combine to work as a unit. Union forwards expend more energy at the tackle-ball situation and at set piece (scrum and lineout) and league forwards take more hit-ups and make more tackles.
This is found in Rookie rugby and in juvinile rugby - For safty and skills develiopment ; Four players from each team will make up a lineout. For the team in possession of the ball, there will be one player throwing the ball in, two players receiving the in-bound pass, and one player who will move the ball away from the lineout. The defending team will match the offensive teams four players. Players should not lift in lineouts until they have developed the necessary skills and strength. Lineouts in Rookie Rugby start as uncontested. The team that throws the ball in must be allowed to win possession of the ball. When the players reach the appropriate age and skills lvels they will then content a line out without lifting (more in line with the original line outs pre 2000.
Rugby Union and Rugby League are popular sports world-wide for many reasons, with teams in dozens of different countries. Both codes of Rugby date back many years. They are very competitive and a lot more "natural" than other sports as they do not require elaborate equipment. The simple rules make them a fan favorite, as well as continual play (unlike some sports which take penalties or time outs frequently that stop the flow of play).
The north UK rugby clubs noted a drain on the talented players who were moving south for work. As the game was unpaid many of the players were forced into relocation so that they could find employment and still play the game. Northern clubs wanted to offer players payment from gate receipts as a way of assisting those players and keeping the talent in the club,. The RFU refused this option insisting that the game remain unpaid armature. The northern clubs decided to break away and form their own "rugby league" (which where the name comes from). In doing this they kept many of the rules but decide to make the game more supporter friendly and exciting by the removal of the wing forwards (flankers), nor rucking and mauling to slow the game and no line outs.
The reasons for people finding union boring are quite evident. The game itself has so many stoppages that it can make you lose concentration on the action taking place. The mere lack of ball in play due to stoppages ends up in less action on the field which can seem to people to be "boring". Also, the rules are so technical that many people watching the game from afar (the sidelines) cannot keep up with nor see what the players are trying to achieve, nor why a penalty is given. There are too many technical rules in union which tends to take away from the free flow and running that you can see league. Over recent years players have decided to play aerial ping-pong where they kick the ball instead of running with it. This leads to turnovers being conceded and a lot more players being taken out in the air. Whereas a League you have a limited number of phases to run with the ball and then you have to kick it meaning more players run with the ball and try to cover as much ground over the gainline as possible. Rugby Union is boring for many reasons, rugby union atmosphere isn't the same as league because you get these physico fans that will do anything for their team to win, Rugby Union fans just sit in their seats and keeping their mouths shout. I've been to many rugby league and union games. Rugby Union play is very slow and lot's of kicking is involved. this just slows down the pace of the game. Rugby League it's fast and never stopping. Play by play till it's finish. I am of the opinion that Rugby League is much more boring than Union. But it's all opinion. But although I personally despise League, I will say i agree with the general consensus that all the kicking in Union is extremely boring! Rugby Union is so much better than league it's actually funny. League has zero competitiveness. There are no rucks, no line-outs, you can't steal the ball from the opposition and the scrums are so insignificant that they might as well do away with them entirely. People claim that league is more spectator-friendly, but this in my eyes simply means 'dumbed down for a TV audience'. There is no strategy at all - I was watching some league last night and I almost fell asleep even though it was only 8:00pm because it was like counting sheep. This morning, I got up at 6:30am to watch England vs Georgia but I couldn't tear my eyes away from it because it was so fascinating. Rugby League is an utterly uninteresting sport, which is probably why it is only played properly in three or four countries. I'd sooner watch American Football, which is saying something (I hate American Football). As far as I can see, league bears more similarities with AF that Union anyway, but is inferior to both union and AF. League is an amalgamation of union and AF which should really have never come into being. Union is growing anyway. It's world cup is twice as big as league's, and the players in it are actually from their respective countries. In the league tournament, they're all just localised Aussies in the northern hemisphere (with the exception of England). It simply isn't true rugby and to refer to it as rugby is sacrilege. Personally, I don't know why anyone would play league, and it is most certainly not more interesting than Union!
A touch judge runs along the touch[side] line observing play. It is up to him to see when the ball is in touch and where the ball goes into touch for line outs. The touche judge may also see off the ball incidents the main ref does not notice and can help in decision making.
my team