Rugby and American Football are two of the most popular sports worldwide, with viewership number reaching millions. They are both dynamic sports that share some similarities and the roots of the game, they are very different games.
They both have unique features and rules, as well as other differences like the playing field, number of players, equipment and protective gear, scoring systems, and even audience. We prepared this article to highlight the key differences between both games and see where they share similarities.
Origins and Evolution of Rugby and American Football
The age-old question that many still have is: Did American football evolve from rugby? The short answer is yes, but there’s more to it, just as there is a lot to discover at the best online roulette UK sites.
Rugby first appeared in England in the early 19th century, with the popular belief being that the sport was created by a student at Rugby School called William Webb Ellis. Namely, the story goes that Ellis picked up a football ball during a match in 1823 and started running with it – so he created a new game. In reality, though, there’s no proof of this, as this story is just an anecdote.
On the other hand, there are firm proofs of how American football was invented. It evolved primarily from rugby, but there are elements from association football (soccer in the US).
It was created as a separate game in the United States in the late 19th century at notable US universities, and the first-ever recorded American football game took place on November 6, 1869, between Princeton and Rutgers universities.
However, the rules of both games have been subjected to numerous changes, and even though both games might have been more similar in the past, they’re now very different.
Playing Field, Teams, and Substitutions
The first big difference between rugby and American football is in the playing fields. The field in American football is 100 yards (91.44 meters) in length and 53.33 yards (48.80 meters) in width. The end zones excent 10 yards (9.14 meters) on each side.
The rugby field doesn’t have fixed dimensions. Like in association football, it can vary in size, but it typically is around 100 meters in length (109.4 yards) and 70 meters in width (76.5 yards), with the end zones (in-goal areas) usually being 10 to 20 meters deep.
The teams are very different too. Each team in American football has 11 players on the field at any time – both in attack and defence. The game is divided into offensive, defensive, and special teams units, so each team usually has entire teams that specialize in one area. When attacking, the offensive team is used, and when defending, the defensive team is used.
Rugby, on the other hand, usually has the same players on the field in both attack and defense. In Rugby Union, there are 15 players on the field, and in Rugby League, there are 13. While substitutions are unlimited in American football, the number of allowed substitutions in the majority of rugby competitions is seven per team. Once substituted, players cannot return to the game in rugby.
Rules & Gameplay
The most fundamental differences between the two games are in the rules and gameplay – specifically in how the ball ‘moves’ during gameplay. By American football rules, teams have four ‘downs’, which are attempts to ‘move’ the ball 10 yards. The team has to advance at least 10 yards, and if it fails to do so, they lose the possession. The clock stops after each play and there are set plays for each attempt.
In rugby, on the other hand, the clock is running throughout the game – with the two exceptions being the halftime break and stoppages because of player injuries. There are virtually no set plays, and the two ways to advance the ball is by either running with it, or by kicking it forward.
The rugby rules don’t allow players to pass the ball forward by hand. While that’s the entire ‘goal’ of the gameplay in American football, it’s not permitted in rugby – and all passes must be either backward or lateral.
Here, we should also mention the protective gear – or lack thereof. In American football, players are obliged to wear helmets, shoulder pads, knee pads, elbow pads, and mouthgards – all of which provide protection during impacts.
In rugby, the protective equipment is minimal, but most players opt to wear soft headgear and mouthguards in recent gears.
Scoring Systems
The scoring systems in the two sports are completely different. To score points in American football, you either need to score a touchdown, which is worth six points and you can win an additional point by kicking between the two poles, or a two-point conversion. A field goal in American football is awarded with three points, and a safety score is worth two points.
In rugby, a try is awarded with five points, and there’s a chance to win two extra points through a conversion kick. Penalty kicks and drop goals are awarded three points each.
