About Rugby League

Rugby League is a popular Australian sport played by both professionals and amateurs.  The competitive season runs from March to September with one game per week.  Teams have 13 players including six forwards and seven backs. Forwards usually weigh between 90-110kg.  They need to be heavier due to their  involvement in the scrums and tackling. Backs usually weigh between 80-95kg. They need to be more agile and so tend to be smaller and leaner.

Matches have two forty minutes halves. During the game each player is likely to cover between 5-8km and be involved in 20 to 40 tackles. Most of the distance is travelled by walking or jogging but there are also bursts of high intensity sprinting and body contact. Training sessions include running, skill work and strength training.

Authors: Bronwen Lundy and Dr. Fiona Pelly

Click here to download Rugby League fact sheet