Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between

Home / Sports & Fitness / Ball Game / Difference Between Rugby and American Football

Difference Between Rugby and American Football

April 5, 2011 Posted by koshal

Rugby vs American Football
 

It is easy to say that Rugby and American Football are similar games as they share the same origins, but there is a stark difference between the two that cannot be overlooked. At a glance, you might even have thought that both Rugby and American football are the same game. However, that is not so. Therefore, to understand the difference between Rugby and American football we should first have a general idea of the two games and then compare the two to see the differences. Therefore, this article presents you the definitions of each game and the differences between the two; Rugby and American Football.

What is Rugby?

Rugby, which is widely played around the world in Europe, Australia, Africa and even Asia is a very physical game. It can be known as a game that requires the skills in football, basketball, and American football. Rugby players have to run around the field until they can score a goal to the other team’s goal. They have to pass the ball effectively. Also, they have to engage in tackles sometimes as in American football to gain the ball from the opponent. To score in rugby games the players have to take the ball and place the ball down on the opposite team’s touch line. This is known as a try. Or else, a player can kick the ball between the goal posts.

Difference Between Rugby and American Football

What is American Football?

American football is a major and very popular game in US. It is played in US only. This is also a highly competitive game that requires a lot of physical strength. To score in an American football game, a player has to take the ball beyond the opponent’s touch line. This is known as a touchdown. A player can also kick it between the goal posts. That is known as a Field Goal.

American Football

What is the difference between Rugby and American Football?

Now, that we have a general idea about the two games, let us see these differences.

• American football is so called as it is mainly played in the US, whereas rugby is a sport that is played all over Europe, Australia, and Africa and even in Asia.

• While players wear a lot of heavy protective gear in American football, only modest padding on head and shoulders is allowed in rugby.

• In American football, unlimited substitution is allowed whereas, in rugby, only up to 7 substitutions are allowed.

• A team consists of 11 players in American football whereas 15 players make up a team in rugby.

• There is one umpire and 3 to 6 other referees in American football whereas in rugby, there are 3 umpires and a video referee.

• While the objective in both the games is to take the ball past the opponent’s goal, it is called a touchdown in American football but called a try in rugby.

• The size of the field in American football is 109.7 x 48.8 meters whereas it is 100 x 70 meters in rugby.

• There are four 15-minute gameplays with an interval after two quarters in American football whereas there are two 40 minute halves in rugby.

• The premier championship in American football is called National Football League (NFL) and, in rugby, there are two major championships called Rugby League and Rugby Union.

• The size of the ball, which is a spheroid in shape, is also different in the two sports. The American football is about 28 cm long and about 56 cm in circumference at the center. The rugby ball is approximately 27 cm long and 60 cm in circumference at its widest point.

 

Images Courtesy:

  1. Rugby by digiarnie (CC BY 2.0)
  2. American Football via Wikicommons (Public Domain)

Related posts:

Difference Between NFL and CFLDifference Between NFL and CFL Difference Between Softball and BaseballDifference Between Softball and Baseball Difference Between Cricket and BaseballDifference Between Cricket and Baseball Difference Between India and Sri Lanka Cricket Teams in World Cup 2011

Filed Under: Ball Game Tagged With: American Football, American Football rules, NFL, Rugby, rugby and american football, Rugby rules

About the Author: koshal

Koshal is a graduate in Language Studies with a Master's Degree in Linguistics

Comments

  1. lindsey_p3 says

    August 13, 2011 at 11:25 am

    In the U.S. we would not call the organization the “championship.”  The NFL, or National Football League, is the primary professional organization.  The championship is the Super Bowl, played at the end of the season.  Just another example of how the English language is spoken in the U.S. versus how it’s spoken everywhere else 😀

    Reply
  2. Aaron Smith says

    March 5, 2015 at 12:25 am

    The biggest difference is football has 4 downs, where you hike it to a quarterback who can make a forward pass, while in rugby, only laterals are allowed, and there are no downs (only dogpiles for the ball).

    Reply
  3. kevrob says

    April 30, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    American Football may only be played in the US, but Canadian football, with 3 downs, 12 players and a longer field, is very similar. Both can be considered “Gridiron Football.” Gridiron in one form or another is played outside of North America, but is nowhere near as popular as other football codes. Besides the NFL, and the CFL (Canadian Football League) the game is popular at the high school and college levels.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request Article

Featured Posts

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

You May Like

Difference Between Megabyte Gigabyte and Terabyte

Difference Between Megabyte Gigabyte and Terabyte

Difference Between Ability and Capacity

Difference Between Single and Double Cream

Difference Between DBMS and File Management System

Difference Between DBMS and File Management System

Difference Between Conjugate Acid and Conjugate Base

Difference Between Conjugate Acid and Conjugate Base

Latest Posts

  • What is the Difference Between Omphalocele and Gastroschisis
  • What is the Difference Between Autonomic and Somatic Reflexes
  • What is the Difference Between Plagiocephaly and Craniosynostosis
  • What is the Difference Between Coconut Oil and Virgin Coconut Oil
  • What is the Difference Between Wintrobe and Westergren Tube
  • What is the Difference Between Coarctation and Hypoplastic Aortic Arch
  • Home
  • Vacancies
  • About
  • Request Article
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2010-2018 Difference Between. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal.