To someone who is not too absorbed by the two sports, they both might look like they are the same. And frankly, the fundamental structure on which both the games are based is also pretty identical. It is the playing conditions and the detailing that differentiate the two.

You have made your way to this article of ours, this means that you are a die-hard fan and would care for the difference between rugby and American football.

Firstly, what one needs to understand is that the motives and basics of both rugby and American football are almost identical. Both these sports are widely watched across the globe. The NFL is one of the most revenue-generating sports tournaments. There is probably no one who is not aware of the success of the Superbowl every single year.

The Rugby World Cup on the other hand has fans from different countries all around rooting for theirs to win. Before we get into the differences between rugby and American football, let us clear out one thing, American football is derived from Rugby and not vice versa.

Let us take a look at the differences between rugby and football.

The Playing Field

One of the key differences between rugby and American football is that the field for rugby is bigger. It is larger in terms of both height and width. This means that the players have to cover another mile in comparison to American football. However, American football has the same size of the field, irrespective of who is playing on it. It could be an inter-college competition or The NFL, but the dimensions of the field remain the same.

You would be surprised to know that the end zones on both fields are also different. For American football, the end zone measures to be 10 yards, and for rugby, 5.5-24 yards.

Another difference stems from this one and that is the stamina of the players. Rugby has a larger pitch hence players are likely to get tired early on in the game relevant to American football.

Dimensions Of The Ball

The dimensions of balls for both sports are the same. The ideal designated weight for the ball is 15 ounces irrespective of which game it is used in. The difference between rugby and American football’s ball is that of its circumference. The American football is wider and 28 inches while the Rugby one varies between 22.8 and 24 inches.

Another point of difference between the balls for the two is that of air pressure. The air pressure in Rugby’s ball is 9.5-10 lbs which is less than the one for American Football ranging around 12.5-13.5 lbs. If we look closely, we would also notice the difference between the outer structure of the two, The American football is pointed, and the rugby ball is rounded. The latter bounces more than the former.

Protective Equipment

This is also one of the key differences between rugby and American football. In rugby, the protective gear that each player wears is based on their position in the game. In American football, the gear is the same for all irrespective of their position in the game.

The playing style greatly varies between the two sports. Hence the protective gear morphs accordingly. As American football is played more rough and aggressively, the protective gear for its players is way more than rugby which only wears a skull cap and body protection.

Rules

For starters, the number of players per team is different. In rugby, 15 players are in one squad while 11 players are chosen for an American football team. Also in Rugby, they walk on the field with 23 players on their back. However, once a player is substituted, he has to sit out the entire match. this means that much like cricket, any rugby player should be familiar with all positions of the game.

In American football, the situation is a bit more critical. The difference between rugby and American football is that in the latter players are very well-specialized in their field.

Touch Down

This is the end motive for both the games. The notable difference between rugby and American football touchdowns is that for Rugby the ball has to cross the line in a downward motion. Whereas in American football, it just needs to cross the line. It does not matter whether the ball is in contact with the ground while doing so or what was its directional motion.

Six points are awarded to the team for a touchdown in football and in rugby, five.

Tackling on Field

In rugby, if any player is tackled by a member of the opposing team, the player has to let go of the ball. This means that a tackle results in the ball being released back into the game. However in football, when a player is tackled, the game pauses and resumes from the beginning.

Conclusion:

The difference between rugby and American Football is that of the nuance of the game. Players in Rugby are more likely to be a lot calmer than the ones in football. This is despite the extra space that they have to cover. This is largely because American football is played in short bursts. These bursts force players to hurry and put all their force and determination into that short interval.

Both sports demand high physical activity and of course strategy. Without a strategy, the gameplay would be no less than sheep herding together. The best part about both the games however is their similarity. They both are similar in the spirit of competition. So whether the differences lie between the ball and the touchdowns, they both stand for sportsmanship and hard work.

We hope you are fully equipped for the next big debate of American Football vs. rugby!