Version of
rugby mostly played in the north of England,
Australia and parts of
France.
Until recently,
rugby league was the
professional version of
rugby and
rugby union was for
amateurs. Rugby union players can now be payed for playing.
The main differences between the sports are that league has 13 players and union has 15 and there are more scrums and stoppages in union.
A World Cup is played every four years which
Australia usually wins.
A World Club Championship is played every year between the winners of the British and Australian Rugby Leagues - this year (2001) it was won by
St Helens of
England.
Attempts have been made to expand rugby league's base outside its current heartlands, without much success so far altho the recent World Cup featured teams from Russia, the United States, Canada and Japan.
For many years, commentary in England was partly provided by the likeable
Eddie Waring, a favourite of
impressionists in the 1970s and also a presenter on
It's A Knockout.
The teams in the British Super League are:
Wigan Warriors
St Helens
Leeds Rhinos
Bradford Bulls
London Broncos
Halifax Blue Sox
Hull
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Salford Reds
Huddersfield
Warrington Wolves
Castleford Tigers
In the Australian National Rugby League:
Brisbane Broncos
Canberra Raiders
St George Illawarra Dragons
Penrith Panthers
Melbourne Storm
Newcastle Knights
Northern Eagles
North Queensland Cowboys
Bulldogs
Sharks
Sydney Roosters
Wests Tigers
Auckland Warriors
Parramatta Eels