At first glance, it might seem odd to connect Rugby with American Football. After conducting some research, it becomes clear that the two most physically demanding sports share a deeper bond than most people think. In fact, upon conducting some research, the roots of College and pro American football can be traced back to the Rugby leagues of the late 1860s. If you are a fan of College Football or are looking to make the College Football roster, keep reading this article to learn more about two of the most physical games in the world.
Rugby Sets the Stage for American Football
Today, we take for granted the annual NFL Draft and the Super Bowl. If it weren't for Rugby taking off in the early 19th century, we would undoubtedly be having a different conversation. Every time we follow the latest NFL or CFL odds or visit Calgary2026.ca for NFL betting in Canada, we can thank William Webb Ellis for that.
In 1823, Webb literally picked up the ball and created a new form of Aussie football, better known as Rugby. It didn't take long for Aussie rules to form, with the first Aussie club being established in 1863. Come 1871, the Rugby Football Union took to the field.
Understanding Rugby Rules
While American Football has a halftime, Rugby is non-stop, hard-hitting for 80 minutes. Tackling players or going out of bounds doesn't stop the clock.
Like American Football, Rugby players can pass the ball backwards and laterally. Any forward pass that's missed leads to a foul. In American Football, barring that's its not a second forward pass or the ball is beyond the line of scrimmage, leads to an incompletion and the clock stopping.
That's why in football, including College Football, spiking the ball is part of the two-minute drill. In College Football, a completion temporarily stops the clock. In pro football, the clock keeps rolling. Rugby does allow kicking the ball forward.
With an official framework, the raw physicality of Rugby spread over Europe and eventually to America by the end of the 19th century. For College Football fans, you can thank Ivy League schools like Princeton and Rutgers for having one of the first unofficial American Football games.
However, instead of having the traditional eleven players on the field, the Princeton vs. Rutgers game featured twenty players on the field, with many of the games following traditional Rugby rules. More colleges followed suit, setting the stage for today's American Football that we love.
The Dawn of Pro and College Football
By the 1880s, when College Football began gaining popularity, teams immediately shifted to the common oval-shaped ball. To maintain uniform rules and official football regulations, the Intercollegiate Football Association was established in 1876. As a result, the modern-day framework and rules for American Football were etched out.
However, College Football adopted the forward pass in the early 20th century. This fundamental change proved to serve the rise of American football, as evidenced by the official creation of positions like the Quarterback. It didn't take long for the first pro football league to form, the American Professional Football Association. It would become the current National Football League that we look forward to. College Football fans and players dream of being drafted into the NFL, and they can thank Rugby for it.
Conclusion
From tailgating to the college football band, we all owe a thanks to Rugby for laying down the foundation. While many of the greatest kickers are ex-soccer players, there is a history of Rugby players playing pro football. Recently, Rugby phenom, Louis Rees-Zammit, retired from Prem Rugby to train for the NFL as a wide receiver in 2023. However, he has since returned to Rugby.
