Differences Between Rugby Union And American Football

Have you ever looked at American football and thought that looks very similar to English rugby?

Well if you take a close look there are certainly many similarities between the two.

Both games aim to score points by getting the ball into the end zones or through the uprights and over the crossbar.

However, a deeper look shows us how very different these two sports are

We all know American football is one of the most popular sports in the country.

The game currently has 32 teams who compete in the National Football League (NFL).

The regular NFL season culminates each February with the Super Bowl, a huge 4-hour event anticipated by many US sports fans but also by an ever-growing UK fanbase.

So, what about rugby? Well, the first game of rugby is widely believed to have been played in 1823 at the school of Rugby in Warwickshire, England.

It started when a chap named William Webb Ellis first ran with the ball in hand.

There is no substantial evidence to support this theory but it is the most popular view, and the Rugby World Cup is named by the international committee after Ellis.

There are also two types of rugby, Rugby Union and Rugby League and even these two have a fair few intricate differences but let’s take a look at 5 differences between Rugby Union and American football.

Now let’s look at the 5 differences.