Everyone knows that from the time immemorial games with ball had astonishing popularity in England. During the Middle Ages these games were entirely different from today's football and rugby: big crowds of people kicked the ball without any rules just in village roads or town streets. Everyone tended to kick it, push it or someone just to make the ball get into the rival's gates, sure almost all these ?matches? finished with common brawls.

Gradually the game gained more structured limits and got important place in British schools. That was very memorable day when in 1823 one of the students from Rugby college grabbed the ball with his hands and directed to competitor's place. That was impudent violation but it gave a birth to new game.

In the middle of the 19th century rugby was favorite game among school boys. The first attempts to set up rugby's rules and first rugby league was in 1846. But the discussion went on till 1863 when the game was finally divided into football and rugby. At the time the major game rules were finally confirmed. It was stated that game should start from the center of the field. The team-rival starts the game in the next time. After one team's scoring the game is renovated by the other team's kick from the center of the field. It is necessary that the ball after the start kick fly not less than 10 meters forward. The violation of this rule causes the penalty kick from the center of the field. Any player should be fined in the case of: crossing the appropriate line before kicking the ball; if being in the area of 10-meter zone and purposely starts the game; if the player purposely touches the ball before crossing 10-meter zone.

The playground consists of the play and account fields. All play field lines should be properly marked. The distance between gate line and account field should be not less than 10 meters. The ball is oval-shaped, four-tracked with the weight of 400-440 grams.

In 1871 the first Rugby Union was established. It united 21 English teams and represented the model-ancestor of rugby league. 1873 year brought new union ? Scottish Rugby Union, 1875 ? Irish Rugby Union. In 1890 these organizations united into International Rugby Football Board (The International Rugby Council) that was joined later by Australia, New Zeeland and the South Africa. In 1934 the Federation of International Rugby Amateur (FIRA) was born. The initiator of rugby's inclusion into the Olympic Games was the team of representatives from Rumania. Rugby appeared in Paris Olympic program in 1900. The first place was won by France. At the moment FIRA's rugby league is represented by more than 50 counties. All of them take part in the rugby league world cup.

Today rugby league world cup is one of the most famous and popular competitions. It takes place near the two other top competitions (Olympic Games and the World Cup of Soccer). Today the Rugby Super League is represented by five teams (England, France, New Zeeland, the South Africa and Australia). The last Rugby league championship took place in 2003 in Australia and New Zeeland.