Rugby Union/Rugby League? The difference?

Question

What is the difference between Rugby League and Rugby Union?

Answer 1

Check out the link below. You should be able to gather all the info you need.

Answer 2

League has 13 players.

Union has 15 players and the crowd to catch the ball.

Union has fat blokes up front who pass it to the pretty boys at the back who then kick it into touch so they can all have a breather.

League players are all ugly but they are not fat, so they have to pass the ball more often.

Union players wear shorts with pockets in so the winger can keep his hands warm whilst he waits for the fat blokes to find the ball and pass to him. The crowd touch the ball more than the winger.

Union is played in Public schools. Sports writers tent to be public school boys and therefore write about union.

League is played in the north. Nothern lads are thick and cannot write.

Union players play the game until mid thirties.

League players are burned out at 28. They then go to play union and get straight into the International side.

If you go to a league game prepare for 80 minutes of excitement, skill, speed, passing, tactics, awesome tacking and an open game

If you go to watch union prepare to not see the ball for 25 minutes but take a neck brace for when you do.

Answer 3

apart from the same shaped ball everything is different.

union supporters say league is stop start because people actually tackle other people.

where as union is continually in play when everybody is round the ball like under 9's in rucks and mauls and i suppose it is still in play when the full backs spend a couple of minutes kicking the ball to each other and then into touch.

Answer 4

Rugby League is for men who like to stop and start and f**t about.

Rugby Union is for real men !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

Answer 5

GO aussie5468 rock on to you!!!

Answer 6

u need to be an athlete to play rugby league

rugby union=run grunt and punt

Answer 7

13 men in league,15 in union,stop start in league,flows in union............ and in league they pay loads of money for wanked welshman

Answer 8

Rugby Union is internaonal and Rugby League club teams.

Answer 9

Apparently they also say league is a faster game.

Answer 10

League is skilful - Union is NOT.

League players run with the ball - Union players do NOT.

League players do tactical kicks - NOT kick into row Z as Union players do.

I am always in disbelief why Union players never respect possession, a full back catches a ball and immediately kicks it back to the opposition.

And, there are international RL games.

Answer 11

I have never seen so many bull$hit answers to a question as I've seen here!!!

First place goes to "Don the Wildcat" with his quartet of classic statements:

"League is skillful, union is not"

"League players run with the ball, union players don't"

"League players use tactical kicks, while union players kick it into row Z"

"League has international games"

Your first quote is a matter of opinion, but I doubt if many league players would be so brash as to come out with that sort of rubbish.

How many league converts have been successful at union? Not many, which only goes to show that union is a much more technically demanding game. You may be a superstar at league, but you're gonna struggle big time at union (eg Andy Farrell of England). Jason Robinson (also of England), Lote Tuqiri and Matt Rogers (both of Australia) are the only league players I know of in recent years who've been successful in switching to union.

On the other hand, how many union converts have been successful at league? Off the top of my head, I can think of Wally Lewis, Ricky Stuart, Michael O'Connor, Ray Price, Scott Gourley, Brian Smith, Craig Polla-Mounta, Rex Mossop, and of course the famous Dally Messenger. I'm sure there are plenty of others I've missed.

As for your second quote, what do you think union players do, Don? Fly with the ball on golden wings, or perhaps they skip along with it??

Your third quote stems from the fact you haven't even the slightest grasp of the fundamentals of either game. Or maybe the only two games of union you've ever watched in your life both involved England?? Have a look at some southern hemisphere rugby for a change ;-)

As for your final quote, yes league does have international games. There is also little tournament on in France next month called the "Rugby World Cup". Lesser events like the "Six Nations", the "Tri Nations", the "Bledisloe Cup" and the "Mandela Trophy" also figure prominently on the rugby union calendar. I suggest you do a quick Google search on all of these events ;-)

Second place goes to "highlander74":

"Rugby union is international, rugby league is club teams"

Take another "stab in the dark", highlander74!!! Your first guess (and it obviously WAS a guess) is waaaaay off the mark.......... you tool!!! If you don't know an answer, then don't post like you do know!!

Third place goes to Martin M with his classic:

"Both are the same for conversions and drop kicks"

Either you have no idea, or you've failed 1st grade mathematics three years in a row!!!! (I suspect the former)

2 = 1 = 3???

And finally, special mention must go to Wayne A:

"In union, you're really just skirmishing over the ball"

Wayne, it may appear that way to you, but only because you, like those above you, have absolutely no fu<king idea what you're talking about.

I sincerely hope that all 4 of you are American, because at least then there'd be a rational explanation for your unbelievable levels of stupidity. No excuses will be accepted from any of you if you're found to be from any country in the southern hemisphere, France or the UK.

There are a lot of other cr@p answers here too, but I think I've made my point.

Answer 12

Union 15 a side - league 13 a side.

Union is more of a kicking, tactical game where the ball is always in play and possession is unlimited. In League, a play start every time a player is tackled and the team in possession must hand the ball over after being tackled for a 6th time. The points are a little different - Union=5 for a try - League = 4 for a try.

Union is by far the bigger sport in terms of distribution, being played in far more places than League (which broke away from Union in England 115 years ago.)

League in England is confined chiefly to the north, mostly Lancashire and Yorkshire, with a few attempts to artificially create interest in London and more recently in Paris and Perpignon. The "world" of rugby league consists of Lancashire, Yorkshire and Eastern Australia.

Answer 13

There are lots of differences between the two games, if you watch a few games you will see what I mean.

Rugby Union has 15 players while League has 13. Rugby Union players will fight for possession of the ball through various means such as line outs, scrums, tackling etc and as long as the team with the ball keeps their possession they can keep pushing to their end of the field to score a try or drop goal whereas in rugby league the team with the ball must give up possession after being tackled six times.

There are alot more differences though - I could go on forever. Try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/rugby_leagu... for more info.

Hope I have helped.

Answer 14

Rugby league has 13 players.  It is more structured (6 tackles per team possession).  There are some penalties awarded.  It is played mainly in Australia, Oceania, UK and France.

Rugby union has 15 players.  It has unlimited tackles, but results in more kicks.  There are many more penalties, because many things can go wrong in a ruck.  Often games are decided on penalties, as goals are worth 3 points compared to 2 in league.  It is played much more widely in the world.

Otherwise they are similar.

Answer 15

League is far tougher and more explosive players mark up against each other and smash each other in tackles, in Union your really just skirmishing over the ball, No one can beat Australia in League !

Answer 16

Rugby league has 13 players and you have six chances to get a try, if you dont get a try on your sixth chance you have to give the ball to the opposition. Rugby union has 15 players and you just have to score a try with no limit of chances. Both are the same for conversions and drop kicks