Rugby league began in 1895, as the ‘Northern Union’, when clubs in the North of England broke away from the Rugby Football Union. The clubs wanted to compensate their working-class players for time away from work for rugby tours and injuries. The RFU refused, saying ‘if men couldn’t afford to play, then they shouldn’t play at all’. In the decade that followed, rugby league made changes setting itself apart from rugby union.

Rugby league, or rugby league football to give it its full title, is a hard-hitting, fast-flowing team sport requiring a number of attributes including speed, strength, determination, courage and a willingness to take a hit — and lots of them.

As a contact sport, rugby league is one of the most physical there is. But don’t think that rugby league is all about sheer size and strength, as although it is an obvious advantage, skill and tactics play a significant part in the game too. Rugby league players have to be multi-skilled, being able to run, kick and handle the ball well, but players do have specialist roles within their team to utilize their