American Football vs Rugby- Key Differences and Unique Aspects of Each Sport

Origins

The history of both sports begins in England. Rugby has its roots in Rugby School, where in 1823, William Webb Ellis broke the prevailing rules of soccer by grabbing the ball in his hands while playing. Although the veracity of this story is disputed, it is considered the symbolic beginning of rugby. In the 19th century, rugby spread across Britain and then around the world, adapting and evolving into different forms.

American football, on the other hand, originated directly from rugby and began to form its unique identity in the second half of the 19th century in the United States. The first game that resembled modern American football was played in 1869 between two prestigious universities — Princeton and Rutgers. While this sport is still very similar to rugby, over time it began to adopt new rules that clearly singled it out, such as four tries for a 10-yard gain and a sliding line.

Game Rules

By looking at each game’s rules, it’s clear that American Football is a sport focused on precision and more strategic aspects, while Rugby seems more oriented toward endurance and versatility.

Basic Rules

American football is played by two teams of 11 players each, with the goal being to score as many points as possible by moving the ball into the opponent's end zone or kicking it through the goal.

On the other hand, rugby is played by two teams of 15 players each, with the main objective being to score maximum points by:

• Carrying the ball into the opponent's territory
• Passing the ball among team members
• Kicking the ball into the opponent's territory
• Kicking the ball between the goalposts for a conversion, penalty kick, or drop goal
• Grounding the ball behind the opponent's goal line for a try

Match Structure

As you can see, American Football and Rugby have more differences than similarities when it comes to the structure of the game itself. Sure, both sports begin the game with a coin toss to decide possession, followed by a kickoff (or a drop-kick in rugby), and the game time in both sports is divided into halves or quarters, with a structured break at halftime. But, well, that’s really all there is when it comes to things that American football and rugby have in common.

American football consists of 4 quarters of 15 minutes each, with a longer halftime break, while rugby is played in two halves of 40 minutes each, with a shorter halftime break and continuous play that stops mostly for halftime and injuries. 

However, experts see the most significant difference between these two sports in the structure of timeouts. American Football allows for strategic use of timeouts, and each team has 3 timeouts per half in NFL games, which allows for super complex tactics. As you can see in the table, in Rugby there are no timeouts in the traditional sense; the clock can be stopped due to injury and at the referee's discretion, but there are no breaks in play.

Casino Offers For American Football & Rugby Fans

Do you know what casino games have in common with Rugby and American Football? Tactical play that involves a coin toss! That said, casino games may have the potential to evoke similar emotions as playing one of these sports on the field. Moreover, unlike American Football and Rugby, you don’t even have to leave your home to feel those emotions as you can play at online casinos! All you have to do is check the ranking kasyn online and choose one of the games that best suits your taste. 

It is also worth noting that many casino games on the market simulate sports such as American football and rugby in the form of virtual competitions and slot machines. That said, if you are an enthusiast of these sports, you might want to consider going for a casino online welcome bonus no deposit session next time instead of sports betting.

Safety

In American football, players are at greater risk for head injuries, including concussions, due to hard contact, including head impacts and high-speed collisions. Used protective gear, while reducing the risk of some types of injury, can also encourage more aggressive play.

Although rugby is characterized by less use of protective gear, there are stricter regulations on how tackles are executed to reduce head injuries. Nevertheless, head injuries, including concussions, are still common in this sport, and according to many studies, rugby might be even more dangerous than boxing. Musculoskeletal injuries, such as fractures, dislocations, and sprains, are also common due to the nature of physical contact and lack of body protection.

All in all, it is not possible to say unequivocally which sport is “safer,” because safety can be measured in different ways — by the number and severity of injuries, long-term health consequences, etc. However, one thing is for sure — neither of these sports are among the safest disciplines out there.