Opening day of competition in the New South Wales Rugby League

Rugby Union and Rugby League are two different forms of rugby football, which originated in England in the 19th century. While both sports share some similarities, there are several key differences between them:

Number of Players: Rugby Union is played with 15 players on each team, while Rugby League is played with 13 players on each team.

Scoring: In Rugby Union, a try is worth 5 points, and a conversion (kick after a try) is worth 2 points. Penalty kicks and drop goals are also worth points. In Rugby League, a try is worth 4 points, and a conversion is worth 2 points. Penalty goals and field goals are also worth points.

Tackling: In Rugby Union, players can contest for the ball on the ground after a tackle, and there are no limits on the number of tackles. In Rugby League, the tackled player must release the ball immediately, and there are limits on the number of tackles.

Scrums: In Rugby Union, scrums are used to restart play after a minor rule infringement or accidental stoppage. In Rugby League, scrums are only used to restart play after a major rule infringement or deliberate stoppage.

Lineouts: In Rugby Union, lineouts are used to restart play when the ball goes out of bounds. In Rugby League, the ball is simply handed over to the opposing team.

Field Size: Rugby Union fields are generally larger than Rugby League fields.

Substitutions: In Rugby Union, teams are allowed up to 8 substitutions per match, while in Rugby League, teams are only allowed 10 interchanges per match.

These are some of the main differences between Rugby Union and Rugby League, although there are other differences in rules and gameplay as well.