Comparison of Canadian football and rugby league
Encyclopedia
A comparison of Canadian football
and rugby league football
can be made because of their shared origins, resulting in similarities and shared concepts in terms of scoring and advancing the ball. Aside from American football
, rugby league is the sport most similar to Canadian football. Both sports involve the concept of a limited number of 'downs'/'tackles', and in both sports scoring 'touchdowns'/'tries' takes a clear precedence over goal-kicking.
to North America. It, along with association football, became popular in Canadian and American universities. At the time association football, or "soccer", and rugby were not as differentiated as they are now and teams would negotiate the rules before playing a game. The sports of Canadian football
and American football
evolved from these intercollegiate games.
Meanwhile, in England a schism developed in rugby football between those who favoured strict amateurism and those who felt that players should be compensated for time taken off work to play rugby. In 1895 this resulted in the formation of a break-away sport, rugby league
, the rules of the two codes of rugby (union
and league) would themselves diverge.
played that is is effectively an improved version of it".
The Canadian football field is 110 yards (100.6 m) long and 65 yards (59.4 m) wide with end zone
s 20 yards (18.3 m) deep. At each goal line is a set of 40 feet (12.2 m) goalposts, which consist of two uprights joined by a 18+1/2 ft crossbar which is 10 feet (3 m) above the goal line. The goalposts may be H-shaped (both posts fixed in the ground) although in the higher-calibre competitions the tuning-fork design (supported by a single curved post behind the goal line, so that each post starts 10 feet (3 m) above the ground) is preferred.
A rugby league field is similar, it may be 112-122 by 68 metres (122.5-133.4 × 74.3 yards). The longer boundary lines are touch lines, while the shorter boundary lines are dead ball lines. The touch lines and dead ball lines are out of play. Near each end of the field is a goal line, or try-line; they are 100 metres (109.4 yards) apart. A scoring area equivalent to an end-zone called the in-goal area extends 6-11 metres (6.6-12 yards) from each try-line to each dead ball line, the ball may be grounded to score a try
here. On the goal line are a set of goal posts in the shape of the letter 'H', used for other forms of point scoring: drop goal, penalty goal and conversion.
In rugby league the same players have to both defend and attack. There are thirteen players and four replacements in a rugby league team, with twelve interchanges of players allowed to be made throughout the game. If the interchanges are used up and a player becomes injured and cannot continue, the team simply has to play a man short.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
and rugby league football
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
can be made because of their shared origins, resulting in similarities and shared concepts in terms of scoring and advancing the ball. Aside from American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, rugby league is the sport most similar to Canadian football. Both sports involve the concept of a limited number of 'downs'/'tackles', and in both sports scoring 'touchdowns'/'tries' takes a clear precedence over goal-kicking.
Origins
British colonists and the British military in Canada brought rugby footballRugby football
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.-History:...
to North America. It, along with association football, became popular in Canadian and American universities. At the time association football, or "soccer", and rugby were not as differentiated as they are now and teams would negotiate the rules before playing a game. The sports of Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
and American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
evolved from these intercollegiate games.
Meanwhile, in England a schism developed in rugby football between those who favoured strict amateurism and those who felt that players should be compensated for time taken off work to play rugby. In 1895 this resulted in the formation of a break-away sport, rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
, the rules of the two codes of rugby (union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and league) would themselves diverge.
Overview
Modern rugby league has been judged by William K. Frampton as having "an amazing resemblance to the original Canadian game". Frampton characterised rugby league as "so similar to the game Neil TaylorPiffles Taylor
Neil Joseph "Piffles" Taylor was a Canadian World War I pilot, Canadian football player, coach, and executive. He was "largely responsible for the development of football in Western Canada"....
played that is is effectively an improved version of it".
The field
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
s 20 yards (18.3 m) deep. At each goal line is a set of 40 feet (12.2 m) goalposts, which consist of two uprights joined by a 18+1/2 ft crossbar which is 10 feet (3 m) above the goal line. The goalposts may be H-shaped (both posts fixed in the ground) although in the higher-calibre competitions the tuning-fork design (supported by a single curved post behind the goal line, so that each post starts 10 feet (3 m) above the ground) is preferred.
A rugby league field is similar, it may be 112-122 by 68 metres (122.5-133.4 × 74.3 yards). The longer boundary lines are touch lines, while the shorter boundary lines are dead ball lines. The touch lines and dead ball lines are out of play. Near each end of the field is a goal line, or try-line; they are 100 metres (109.4 yards) apart. A scoring area equivalent to an end-zone called the in-goal area extends 6-11 metres (6.6-12 yards) from each try-line to each dead ball line, the ball may be grounded to score a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
here. On the goal line are a set of goal posts in the shape of the letter 'H', used for other forms of point scoring: drop goal, penalty goal and conversion.
Players
Canadian teams have twelve players on the field per side. Different players may be interchanged at will for offence and defence as well as special teams for specific activities.In rugby league the same players have to both defend and attack. There are thirteen players and four replacements in a rugby league team, with twelve interchanges of players allowed to be made throughout the game. If the interchanges are used up and a player becomes injured and cannot continue, the team simply has to play a man short.
See also
- Canadian footballCanadian footballCanadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
- Rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
- Comparison of rugby league and rugby unionComparison of rugby league and rugby unionA comparison of rugby league and rugby union is possible because of the games' similarities and shared origins. In English rugby football, towards the end of the 19th century, a schism developed over the way the sport was run; one of the major disputes was between those who favoured strict...
- Comparison of Canadian and American footballComparison of Canadian and American footballAmerican and Canadian football are very similar, as both have their origins in rugby football, but there are some key differences.-History:Football was introduced to North America in Canada by the British Army garrison in Montreal, which played a series of games with McGill University...
- Players who have converted from one football code to anotherPlayers who have converted from one football code to anotherThere are many players who have converted from one football code to another or even changed from other sports at a professional or representational level....