Rugby League today is far different from the last century when the game of Rugby League was played under conditions which today would make it unrecognisable. This chapter will briefly tell you of the trials and upsets that made Rugby League as we know it today.

The handling code of the game originated at an English Public School, Rugby, in 1823.

During an inter-class game of Soccer, a pupil, William Webb Ellis, upset at being unable to kick the bouncing Soccer ball, took it in his hands and ran down the field, to the bewilderment of his team-mates and opponents.

In 1839, students at the University of Cambridge (England) were allowed to run with the ball during the inter-faculty matches provided the ball was caught and held, on the full or first bounce. This rule caused widespread results. Clubs playing under this new rule were started at universities and older public schools. In 1872, the leaders of these clubs met, standardised the rules and formed what is known as the Rugby Union, an amateur body.*

Rugby League was really born 23 years later. Charges of professionalism were made against Bradford and Elland clubs by the Rugby Union in 1892, but most clubs in Yorkshire and Lancashire supported Bradford and Elland. They agreed with Bradford and Elland that players who played Rugby and lost some of their wages for not being at work should be recompensed by the club they played for.

In voting that professionalism should not be allowed, the Rugby Union won by 282 votes to 136 votes. The outcome was that an even more stringent code of rules had to be adopted with regard to professionalism. These new rules created a wedge between North and South England and made it almost impossible for the working man to play Rugby. Continued outcries against the Rugby Union led to the Northern Rugby Football Union being formed on 27th August 1895. In 1922, this was rechristened the Rugby League, the title having been taken from Australia.

The 13-a-side game of Rugby was first adopted in the 1906-7 season by the Northern Union and as a result of there being less players on the field a fast and exciting game was produced. The present scoring system of 3 points for a try and 2 points for a conversion was also adopted in the 1906-7 season. Rugby League came into being in Australia as early as 1907. Rugby Union was played in Australia and New Zealand before 1907.

Victor Trumper's Sports Store in Sydney was the venue for discussions which led to the foundation of the N.S.W. Rugby League. At this time a New Zealand team, the "All Golds", were on their way to play League matches in England.

The founder of the N.S.W. Rugby League, James J. Giltinan, guaranteed the "All Golds" £500 to play three games in Sydney. Local players, including the famous Dally Messenger, played in the three matches. (The "All Golds" won all three matches, which were played under Rugby Union rules.) The £189 profit from the matches was used to form the N.S.W. Rugby League.

The first competition in Rugby League was held in Australia in 1908 and now regular International matches are held between Australia, New Zealand, France and Great Britain.

In 1954 the World Cup series was instituted. a series in which the above nations play off for the Rugby League World Cup.

The World Cup series will be played for the second time in Sydney, Australia in 1965, and should produce some really great Rugby League as was the case in the 1957 Cup games in Australia.