Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most
prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union. See comparison of rugby league and
rugby union.
Rugby football developed from a version of football played at Rugby School and was originally
one of several versions of football played at English public schools during the 19th century.
The game of football that was played at Rugby School between 1750 and 1859 permitted
handling of the ball, but players were not allowed to run with it in their hands towards the
opposition's goal. With no limit to the number of players per side, hundreds would participate in
an enormous rolling maul, sometimes resulting in major injuries. The innovation of running with
the ball was introduced between 1859 and 1865. The popular myth of the sport's origin states
that Rugby pupil William Webb Ellis broke the local rules by running forward with the ball in
his hands in 1823. Rugby School produced the first written rules for their version of the sport in
1845.
In the result that the teams were still tied at the end of the match, a drop goal shootout was held.
The selected kickers of the two teams would have one shot at the goal each and would take turns
shooting at the goal until one of the kickers missed.
Rules
Further information: Comparison of rugby league and rugby union, Laws of rugby league, and
Rugby union numbering schemes
Distinctive features common to both rugby codes include the oval ball and the ban on throwing
the ball forward, so that players can gain ground only by running with the ball or by kicking it.
As the sport of rugby league moved further away from its union counterpart, rule changes were
implemented with the aim of making a faster-paced and more try-orientated game.
The main differences between the two games, besides league having teams of 13 players and
union of 15, involve the tackle and its aftermath:
•
Union players contest possession following the tackle: depending on the situation, either
a ruck or a maul can occur. League players may not contest possession after making a
tackle: play is continued with a play-the-ball.
•
In league, if the team in possession fails to score before a set of six tackles, it surrenders
possession. Union has no six-tackle rule; a team can keep the ball for an unlimited
number of tackles before scoring as long as it maintains possession and does not commit
an offence.
Set pieces of the union code include the "scrum", in which packs of opposing players push
against each other for possession, and the "line-out", in which parallel lines of players from each
team, arranged perpendicular to the touch-line, attempt to catch the ball thrown from touch. A
rule has been added to line-outs which allows the jumper to be pulled down once a players's feet
are on the ground.
In the league code, the scrum still exists, but with greatly reduced importance as it involves
fewer players and is rarely contested. Set pieces are generally started from the play-the-ball
situation. Many of the rugby league positions have similar names and requirements to rugby
union positions, but there are no flankers in rugby league.
The Home Countries
In England, rugby union is widely regarded as an "establishment" sport, played mostly by
members of the upper and middle classes. For example, many students at private schools and
grammar schools play rugby union. In contrast, rugby league has traditionally been seen as a
working class pursuit. An exception to this stereotype is evident in the neighboring countries
of England and Wales. In England rugby union is associated with the public school system. In
Wales, rugby is associated with small village teams which consisted of coal miners and other
industrial workers playing on their days off. In Ireland, and in particular Leinster, rugby union
is also associated with private education and the "D4" stereotype, and this image of the spoilt,
ignorant, wealthy rugby-playing jock inspired the best-selling Ross O'Carroll Kelly novels.
In Australia support for both codes is concentrated in New South Wales, Queensland and the
Australian Capital Territory (see Barassi Line). The same perceived class barrier as exists
between the two games in England also occurs in these states, fostered by rugby union's
prominence and support at schools.
Exceptions to the above include New Zealand (although league is still considered to be a
lower class game by many, or a game for 'westies' referring to lower class western suburbs of
Auckland and more recently the poorer southern Auckland where the game is popular), Wales,
France except Paris, Cornwall, Gloucestershire, Somerset, the Borders region of Scotland,
County Limerick in Ireland (see Munster), and the Pacific Islands, where rugby union is popular
in working class communities. Nevertheless, Rugby League is perceived as the game of the
working class people in northern England, and in the Australian states of New South Wales and
Queensland.
In the United Kingdom, rugby union fans sometimes use the term "rugger" as an alternative
name for the sport, (see Oxford '-er'). New Zealanders refer to rugby in general as "footy"
or "football", rugby union simply as either "rugby" or "union" and to rugby league as "rugby
league" or "league". In the U.S., people who play rugby are sometimes called "ruggers", a term
little used elsewhere except facetiously.
Those considered to be heavily involved with the rugby union lifestyle—including heavy
drinking and striped jumpers—sometimes identify as “rugger buggers”.
The Rest of the World
In France, rugby is widely played and has a strong tradition in the Basque people along the
border regions between Spain and France. It rivals the popularity of Association Football. The
game is very popular in South Africa among both blacks and whites, having been introduced by
English-speaking settlers in the 19th century. British colonists also brought the game with them
to Australia and New Zealand, where the game is widely played. It has spread thence to much of
Polynesia, having particularly strong followings in Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga.
