Some sports at first glance seem the same. The main reason is usually that they have a common origin, as happens with rugby, Australian football, and football, although the latter seems rather little to the other two.
Some readers commented that it is very similar to rugby, especially for the ball that is used and for the clothing worn by the players. It’s true, but in reality, there are big differences that make each of these games a completely different sport.
The Number of Players
One of the main points of difference between rugby and Australian football is the number of players on the field. Rugby has 15 members per team if it is a rugby Union match, 13 if it is from the League.
In the case of Australian football, each team is made up of 18 players on the field, which may seem quite chaotic, although the truth is that each one knows very well where he has to be and what his role is during the game.
The Shape and Size of the Field
Australian football is not played on a rectangular field like most ball sports. It is played in an oval field, where cricket is also usually practiced. In this sense, we can say that, as we did when we analyzed the differences between rugby and American football.
The cricket has had a great influence on the development of the rules of these games. In the case of football, the number of players is taken from this sport, while the Australian looked at the shape of his field to organize the game.
The Goal and the Scoring System
In a rugby field, there is a kind of fork on each side where it is about passing the ball to achieve the maximum score. American football does not have this fork, but has a total of 4 posts on each side of the field separated from each other at a distance of 6.4 meters, forming an imaginary square.
The goal in Australian football is achieved if the ball passes clean between the front posts. If it is thrown and the ball enters from the side, crossing between a front post and one from behind is considered both rear and only one point goes up to the scoreboard. In the case of scoring, 6 points are achieved.
The Way Forward With the Ball
Although the shape of the ball is very similar in both sports, Australian football allows it to be carried only if it is dropped on the ground every 10 meters at least once.
They can’t pass it on to each other like in rugby. In addition, he cannot stop moving at all times, unless he leaves the field or the referee calls a free-kick, which is always kicked.
The Times of the Matches
In rugby games are played with two times that last 40 minutes each, with a break of 5 minutes. Australian football has a shorter duration, 20 minutes per time, although it is added all the time that has been lost when the ball has gone out or free throws have been indicated. The referees stop the stopwatch and restart it so as not to lose a single second of the match.
Australian Football Rules Are Older
Although it is a little known sport outside of Oceania, which could make us think that it is something new, the reality is quite different. In fact, the official rules of Australian football are the oldest that exists. They were written long before rugby, American football or traditional football. The first regulation dates from the mid-19th century.
International Competitions
Rugby is better known than Australian football because it has competitions internationally. Tournaments like the 6 nations have given rugby great visibility. And although Australian football has a presence beyond Oceania there are no international competitions at the moment.
There is only the League in Australia and small leagues in some corners of the world like Japan or the United States although they do not have the relevance of other sports.
If you want to know more about Australian football and know English, you can find out about the latest news and other interesting details on the official website of the Australian league. Who knows if you don’t like it too, how we started doing it.
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