Rugby football bẹrẹ ni ayika 1845 ni Rugby School ni Rugby, Warwickshire, England, botilẹjẹpe awọn ọna bọọlu ninu eyiti a gbe bọọlu ati fi ọjọ si awọn akoko igba atijọ. Rugby pin si awọn ere idaraya meji ni 1895, nigbati awọn ẹgbẹ mọkanlelogun ti pin kuro ni Rugby Football Union lati ṣẹda Northern Rugby Football Union, ti a tun pe ni Rugby Football League ni 1922, ni Hotẹẹli George, Huddersfield, lori awọn sisanwo akoko-akoko-akoko si awọn oṣere ti o gba akoko lati ṣiṣẹ lati mu ere idaraya naa, nitorinaa ṣiṣe rugby league ni koodu akọkọ lati yipada ati sanwo awọn oṣere ọjọgbọn. O jẹ ọgọrun ọdun nigbamii ni ọdun 1995, lẹhin 1995 World Cup ni South Africa, pe rugby union yipada.
Ẹgbẹ́ Agbábọ́ọ̀lù Rugby League International Federation