X-Nico

2 unusual facts about Rugby Football League


Northern Rugby Union

Rugby Football League, the governing body for rugby league in the United Kingdom, were known as the Northern Union, Northern Rugby Union or Northern Rugby Football Union between 1895 and 1922.

Women's Rugby League World Cup

Women's Rugby League had been played in both Oceania and the United Kingdom for several years but it was not until 1985 in Britain and 1993 in Australia and New Zealand where female only organizations and governing bodies were established and while the Rugby Football League recognized the British women in 1985 it took another five years for the Australian Rugby League to officially recognize the Australian Women's rugby league.


FC Barcelona Rugby League

It is widely speculated, but purely a hypothesis, that this branch of the successful FC Barcelona club will become members of the Rugby Football League and possibly Super League should the venture prove a success in Catalonia, as they were now playing more competitive rugby, on a more regular basis.

Frano Botica

Botica joined the Wigan rugby league club in British league in 1990 in what was an exodus of All Black backs to rugby league including Matthew Ridge (Manly-Warringah), John Gallagher (Leeds) and John Schuster Newcastle).

Harry Sunderland

Following development work by both Sunderland (on behalf of the Australian Rugby League) and the Rugby Football League based in England, an exhibition match between Great Britain and Australia at Paris' Stade Pershing in December 1933 inspired the beginnings of rugby league in France.

Peter Sterling

After travelling with part of the team to Perth to face a Western Australian team and thus missing a place in the test against Papua New Guinea, Sterlo was presented a golden opportunity by coach Frank Stanton when he was chosen for the first game of the tour against English club side Hull Kingston Rovers.

Super League X

On the 3 October the Rugby Football League announced that both finalist in this competition, Castleford Tigers and Whitehaven were eligible for promotion, hence two teams were relegated.


see also

England national rugby team

England national rugby league team, often nicknamed the Three Lions, administered by the Rugby Football League

Great Britain national rugby league team, nicknamed the Lions, representing the entirety of the British Isles, also administered by the Rugby Football League

Ian Buckett

After the near collapse of rugby league venture Crusaders Rugby League in north Wales he, as a Director of Deeview Consulting, and a local businessman were in discussions with the Rugby Football League about a potential RFL franchise to be played out of Colwyn Bay at Championship One level in conjunction with rugby union.

Joe Kilroy

He also played full-back in the Halifax team which surprised everyone in English rugby league by winning the Rugby Football League Championship in 1985-86 under player/coach Chris Anderson.

Tom Butterfield

In 2012 he was approached by Whitehaven RLFC but the club failed to get Rugby Football League approval.