Rugby League Football

The Rugby League Football collection by Ellis Rugby celebrates the great history, the wonderful teams and players from the past. Included are vintage inspired Rugby League Shirts, Polo Shirts, T-Shirts and Sweatshirts. All are produced using 100% cotton and traditional technique to create outstanding garments.

The history of rugby league as a separate form of rugby football goes back to 1895 in Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire when the Northern Rugby Football Union broke away from England’s established Rugby Football Union to administer its own separate competition. Similar break-aways occurred later in Australia and New Zealand in 1907. Gradually the rugby played in these breakaway competitions evolved into a distinctly separate sport that took its name from the professional leagues that administered it.

Rugby-League-Football-Header

Rugby league in England went on to set attendance and player payment records and rugby league in Australia became the most watched sport on television. The game also developed a significant place in the culture of France, New Zealand and several other Pacific Island nations, such as Papua New Guinea, where it has become the national sport.

In 1995, the fallout from the Super League war hit Britain, and the game underwent massive re-organisation. A new elite league, Super League was formed, and the sport switched from a winter to a summer season. Super League has largely been a success as the value of its TV contract and top tier game crowd attendances and have both grown year upon year since 2001.