Rugby Vs American Vs Australian Football: The Differences Explained

The NFL is huge. American football players are celebrated, teams are adored, and games are watched by fans around the world – but there are other similar sports on fans’ radars. The most popular of these are Australian Rules football and rugby, which will gain legions of new fans in addition to its 405 million supporters around the world if the US hosts the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup and the 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Are these three sports really all that different? They certainly are, and more than you might realize.

American Football Vs Australian Rules Football

As almost every NFL fan knows, an American football team has 11 players and can make an unlimited number of substitutions during a game. An Australian Rules team has 18 players and can make up to four substitutions during a game. The goals of the two games are similar, namely for one team to beat its opponents by scoring more points.

American football players score touchdowns by carrying the ball behind their opponents’ touch line and field goals by kicking the ball between the posts. Australian Rules football players commonly score points by kicking the ball between their opponents’ inner or outer goal posts. Less rare are points scored by running the ball over the opponents’ end line.

There are significant differences regarding how players use their hands. American football players can catch and carry the ball, although they can only throw the ball forward once on a play, provided it’s from behind the line of scrimmage. Australian Rules football players can use their hands to catch (mark) the ball and to pass it to another player in any direction by punching it from one hand with the other. This ‘hand ball’ technique helps explain why the sport is so popular among fans and at Australian betting sites.

American football balls are noticeably larger than Australian Rules balls. You’ll also see significant differences in the playing fields. American football fields are rectangular and typically 100 yards long and 53.33 yards wide. Australian Rules football fields are oval-shaped and are between 147.6 and 202.3 yards long and 120 to 169.5 yards wide.

American Football Vs Rugby

Unlike American football teams, rugby teams have 15 players and can make up to seven substitutions during a game. There are a few other key differences to remember.

A rugby team has a similar goal to an American football team, and scores points by making a try or kicking the ball between the posts. Scoring a try means carrying the ball behind the opponents’ touchline and placing it on the ground. Kicking the ball between the posts is known as a conversion, drop goal, or penalty kick, depending on where in the game it happens.

There are glaring differences between American football and rugby when it comes to rules for passing the ball, as well as to the size of the ball and playing field, and to the methods of scoring. In American football, the offense can play from behind the line of scrimmage or throw the ball forward. In rugby, players can only throw the ball backward. American football balls are longer and weigh less than rugby balls, while American football fields are shorter and narrower than rugby pitches.

While no other sport is likely to replace American football for committed fans, if you’re short of fresh NFL action, at least you know that you can find similar action with Australian Rules football and rugby.