Rugby football, often just "rugby", may refer to a number of sports descended from a common form of football developed at Rugby School in England, United Kingdom. Football is the word given to a number of similar Team sports all of which involve (to varying degrees kicking a Ball with the foot in an attempt to score a Rugby School, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, is a Co-educational Boarding school and one of the oldest public schools England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Rugby league, rugby union, American football and Canadian football are modern sports that originated from rugby football. History See also History of rugby league The grass roots of rugby league can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with In accordance with the Manual of Style (see) Canadian English is used throughout this article (see Canadian_English#Spelling) Rugby league and rugby union are the only two sports referred to as "rugby" today. History See also History of rugby league The grass roots of rugby league can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short

History

Further information: History of rugby union

Further information: History of rugby league

Rugby descends from an 18th century Cornish or Welsh sport known as "hurling" in which a ball was thrown up and the players acting either as individuals or as teams attempted to carry it to a goal. The history of rugby union follows from various football games played long before the 19th century but it was not until the middle of that century that rules were formulated The history of rugby league began with a schism of 1895 in Rugby football. ^[1] The goal could be set as far as several miles away thereby creating the opportunity for large-scale brawls in intervening villages. In Welsh the sport is called cnapan or "criapan," and has medieval roots. Cnapan (sometimes spelt Knapan or Knappan) is a form of Medieval football which vaguely resembles some modern versions of Football. The old Irish predecessor of rugby may be caid, not to be confused with Gaelic "hurling" or "hockey" which has the difference that the ball was hit with a stick rather than carried. Caid (kadʲ is the name given to various ancient and traditional Irish Football games Rugby Football is commonly known as "rugby" and as "rugger".

The status of the rugby codes in various countries

Rugby union, is both a professional and amateur game, is dominated by eleven "major" unions: France, Australia, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Wales, Argentina, Italy, and Scotland. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Rugby Union is administered by the International Rugby Board (IRB). Rugby union is the national sport in New Zealand, South Africa and Wales. A national sport is a Sport or Game that is considered to be a intrinsic part of the culture of a Nation. "Minor" unions include Fiji, Georgia, Japan, Namibia, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, Spain, Tonga, Chile, The United States and Uruguay. Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa, is a country governing the western part of the Samoan Islands Archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Kingdom of Tonga is an Archipelago in the south Pacific Ocean comprising 169 islands 36 of them inhabited stretching over a distance of about 800 kilometres (500 miles Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America In Malaysia, rugby union is played by campus students. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Rugby union also ranks as the national sport of Pacific countries such as Tonga and Fiji. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions

Rugby League is also both a professional and amateur game, administered on a global level by the Rugby League International Federation. The Rugby League International Federation ( RLIF) -formerly International Rugby League Board - is the international governing body of Rugby league In addition to the countless amateur and semi-professional competitions in countries such as the United States, Russia, Lebanon and across Europe, there are two major professional competitions worldwide - the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League. In the 'National Rugby League' there are teams from all Australian states and territories except South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania, and there is also one in Auckland, New Zealand. In Super League there are just two teams from outside the north of England, London-based Harlequins and Perpignan-based Catalans.

Rules

Main article: Comparison of rugby league and rugby union

Distinctive features common to both rugby codes (league and union) include the prolate spheroid ball and the ban on passing the ball forward, so that players can gain ground only by running with the ball or by kicking it. A comparison of Rugby league and Rugby union is possible because of the games' similarities and shared origins A prolate spheroid is a Spheroid in which the polar Diameter is longer than the Equatorial diameter 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, more try-oriented game, in the hope of increasing attendances at games.

Today, 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 occurs. Most forms of Football have a move known as a tackle. In most cases this move is one that prevents an opposing player from carrying out what they intend A typical passage of Rugby union takes the following form One team will initially gain possession of the ball either from the kick-off a restart kick or a set piece ( scrum A typical passage of Rugby union takes the following form One team will initially gain possession of the ball either from the kick-off a restart kick or a set piece ( scrum League players may not contest possession after making a tackle: play is continued with a play-the-ball (AKA: "Scratch")

• In league, if the team in possession fails to score before a "set of six" tackles, it surrenders possession. Rugby league players all need to be particularly physically fit and tough because of the game's fast pace and the expansive size of the playing-field as well as the inherently 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 offense.

Set pieces of the union code include the scrum, where packs of opposing players push against each other for possession, and the lineout, where parallel lines of players from each team, arranged perpendicular to the touch-line (the side line) attempt to catch the ball thrown from touch (the area behind the touch-line). The term set piece or set play is used in football and rugby to refer to a situation when the ball is returned to open play following a stoppage Rugby union a scrum is a means of restarting play after a minor infringement A line-out is the means by which in Rugby union, the ball is put back into play after it has gone into touch. The touch-line is the line on either side of the playing area of a game of Rugby football and of the game of Association Football ( Soccer) Touch is the area outside two Touch-lines which define the sides of the playing area in a game of Rugby football.

In the league code, the scrum still exists, but with greatly reduced importance. 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. A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench A Rugby union team is made up of 15 players eight forwards numbered from 1 to 8 and seven backs numbered from 9 to 15 A Rugby union team is made up of 15 players eight forwards numbered from 1 to 8 and seven backs numbered from 9 to 15 The result of these variations have led to rugby union being considered a traditional form of rugby.

Culture

In the U. K, an old saying goes "football is a gentleman's game played by ruffians and rugby is a ruffian's game played by gentlemen". Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered In most rugby-playing countries, rugby union is widely regarded as an "establishment" sport, historically amateur, played mostly by members of the upper and middle classes. Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures. The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power. For example, many students at private schools and grammar schools play rugby union. For the film of this title see Private School (film. Private schools, or Independent schools are Schools not administered A grammar school is one of several different types of School in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries By contrast, rugby league has traditionally been seen as a working and middle class, professional pursuit. Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power. A contrast to this ideology is evident in the neighbouring unions of England and Wales. In England the sport is very much associated with the public schools system (i. An independent school in the United Kingdom is a school relying upon private sources for all of its funding predominantly in the form of school fees e. independent/private schools). In Ireland, 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. Dublin 4 is a postal district of Dublin, Ireland including the suburbs of Sandymount, Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Ringsend Ross O'Carroll-Kelly is a fictional Irish rugby jock created by journalist Paul Howard. In Wales, rugby is associated with small village teams which consisted of coal miners and other industrial workers playing on their days off. Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body

Exceptions to the above include New Zealand, Wales, France except Paris, Cornwall, the Borders region of Scotland, County Limerick in Ireland, and the Pacific Islands, where rugby union is popular in working class communities. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar The Scottish Borders, often referred to simply as the Borders, is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. County Limerick ( Contae Luimnigh in Irish) is a County in the Province of Munster, located in the mid-west of Ireland with County The Pacific Ocean contains an estimated 20000 to 30000 Islands (the exact number has yet to be precisely determined Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types Nevertheless, rugby league is perceived as the game of the working class people in the English counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, and in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland. The counties of England are territorial divisions of England for the purposes of administrative political and geographical demarcation Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea Boundaries and divisions Cumbria is neighboured by Northumberland, County Durham, North Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the Lieutenancy The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of 8 states and territories controlled under a federal system of government Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent In the United Kingdom, rugby union fans sometimes use the term "rugger" as an alternative name for the sport, (see Oxford '-er'). The Oxford "-er" is a colloquial sometimes facetious abbreviation prevalent at Oxford University from about 1875 which is thought to have been borrowed from the Also the kick off is known to be called "Rug Off" in some regions. In the US, 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". A sweater, pullover, jumper, or jersey is a relatively heavy Shirt intended to cover the torso and arms of the human body (though in some cases Retired rugby union players who still turn up to watch, drink and serve on committees rank as "alickadoos" or, less kindly, as "old farts". An alternative name for the game adopted primarily in local rugby comps is known as "Ra-Ra" referring to the pomp and circumstance associated with the sport.

Because of the nature of the games (almost unlimited body contact with little or no padding), the rugby world frowns on unsporting behaviour, since even a slight infringement of the rules may lead to serious injury or even death. In Fashion, padding is material sometimes added to clothes It is often done in an attempt to enhance appearance by 'improving' a physical feature often a sexually significant Sportsmanship is conformance to the rules spirit and Etiquette of Sport. Because of this, governing bodies enforce the rules strictly.

In Australia support for both codes is concentrated in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent } The Australian Capital Territory (ACT is the Capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and its smallest self-governing internal territory The same perceived class barrier as exists between the two games in England also occurs in these two states, fostered by rugby union's prominence and support at private schools. Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Australian followers of rugby league usually refer to rugby league as "league", "footy" or "football" and rugby union as "rugby" or "union".

New Zealanders generally refer to rugby union simply as either "football", "rugby" or "rugby union" and to rugby league as "rugby league", "football" or "league". In New Zealand, playing rugby football has a reputation as the epitome of manliness for both Māori and Pākehā (non-Māori), as symbolised by a haka (war dance) at the start of important games. This article discusses the Māori people of New Zealand For their language see Māori language, and for other meanings see Māori (disambiguation. New Zealand European Pākehā are New Zealanders of predominantly European ancestry The All Blacks, the international Rugby union Team of New Zealand, perform a Haka ( Māori traditional dance Kiwis see rugby as the accepted substitute for military heroism and an excellent training ground for soldiering. Kiwi is the nickname used internationally for people from New Zealand, as well as being a relatively common self-reference A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking If Britain won the Battle of Waterloo on the playing-fields of Eton College, New Zealand long saw its role in the British Empire as intimately connected with the football field. Eton College, or just Eton, is a world-famous British Independent school for boys founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Popular Kiwi mythology sees the encouragement of New Zealand rugby in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the Imperial reaction to declining physical fitness in Britain's industrial slums. Physical fitness is used in two close meanings general fitness (a state of Health and well-being and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability

Notes

See also

• Comparison of rugby league and rugby union
• Rugby league
• History of rugby league
• Rugby union
• History of rugby union
• Rugby sevens
• Touch Rugby
• Tag Rugby
• Football
• Medieval football

External links

• Richard Lindon inventor of the Rugby Ball
• Comprehensive Rugby Union History
• Open-site.org Rugby