Editing Rugby football (section)

== Rules ==
{{further|Comparison of rugby league and rugby union|Laws of rugby league|Rugby union numbering schemes}}
[[File:Rugby Lineout.jpg|thumb|A rugby lineout being conducted. A group from either team lifts a player to fight and catch the ball for their team. (OSUWRC 2014)]]
[[File:Scrum-1.JPG|thumb|[[Rugby union]]: A [[Scrum (rugby union)|scrum]] between the [[Crusaders (rugby union)|Crusaders]] and the [[Brumbies]] (May 2006)]]
Distinctive features common to both rugby codes include the use of an oval [[rugby ball|ball]] and the prohibition of the [[forward pass]]. Due to the prohibition, players can gain ground only by running with the ball or by kicking it. Furthermore, unlike American and Canadian football, neither league nor union players wear any sort of protection or armour. 

The two rugby codes differ as the result of changes made to the rules of [[rugby league]]. League implemented these changes with the aim of making a faster-paced and more try-oriented game than [[rugby union]]. 

The main differences between the two games, besides league having teams of 13 players and union of 15, involve the [[tackle (football move)|tackle]] and its aftermath:
* Union players contest possession following the tackle: depending on the situation, either a [[Playing rugby union#Ruck|ruck]] or a [[Playing rugby union#Maul|maul]] can occur. League players may not contest possession after making a tackle: play is continued with a ''[[Playing rugby league#Play-the-ball|play-the-ball]]''.
* In league, if the team in possession fails to score before a set of six tackles, it surrenders possession. 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 offence.

[[set piece (football)|Set pieces]] of the union code include the [[scrum (rugby union)|scrum]] and the [[Line-out (rugby union)|line-out]]. The scrum occurs after a minor infringement of the rules (most often a knock-on, when a player knocks the ball forward). After an infringement, packs of opposing players "scrum" or push against each other for possession. In a [[line-out (rugby union)|line-out]], parallel lines of players from each team, arranged perpendicular to the [[touch-line]], attempt to catch the ball thrown from [[touch (rugby)|touch]]. A rule has been added to line-outs which allows the jumper to be pulled down once a players' feet are on the ground.

In the league code, the scrum still exists albeit with greatly reduced importance. In league, the scrum involves fewer players and is rarely contested. Set pieces are generally started from the [[Play the ball|play-the-ball]] situation. 

Many of the [[rugby league positions]] have names and requirements similar to [[rugby union positions]]. Notably, however, there are no [[Flanker (rugby union)|flankers]] in rugby league.