In rugby league football, the Laws of the Game are the rules governing how the sport is played.
[1][2] The Laws are the responsibility of the Rugby League International Federation,[3] and cover the play, officiating, equipment and procedures of the game.
The Laws have undergone significant changes since pioneers of the sport broke away from the Rugby football establishment in 1895.
The sport has been described as a "constantly evolving animal, particularly with professional coaches, [with which] the rules have to keep pace".
For example, Section 15, Law 1 (i) considers behaviour "in any way contrary to the true spirit of the game" to be misconduct.
[6] The rules of football as played at Rugby School in the 19th century were decided regularly and informally by the pupils.
[7] In 1845 three pupils at the school, William Delafield Arnold, Walter Waddington Shirley and Frederick Leigh Hutchins were tasked with writing a codified set of rules by the then Head Schoolboy and football captain Isaac Gregory Smith.
[11] The RFU invited three former pupils, all lawyers, to write the standardised rules, and they titled their work as laws.
[10] Unions were formed to govern the game in other countries but the English RFU continued to control the Laws until 1885.
[8] From 1895, the year of the schism in the game, the laws of rugby league were initially referred to as "Northern Union" rules, after the new governing body, and were a slight variation on the rules of rugby football as played at that time.
[12] What began as modifications to make the competition more entertaining to spectators continued until a distinct sport had emerged.
As the sport spread to around the world, other rugby leagues were established, notably in Australia, France and New Zealand, a more international approach was adopted.
[14] Initially the RFL retained this responsibility for the Laws while it was seen how the new Board would develop.
Since 1998 when the different sides reunited, the Laws have been the responsibility of the Rugby League International Federation.
The following is an incomplete list of changes made to the laws of rugby league since the 1895 schism.
Changes to the laws used for senior competitions within the jurisdictions of RLIF members with test nation status are included here.
NRFU Implemented: 1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season.
NRFU Implemented: 1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season.
NRFU Implemented: 1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season.
NRFU Implemented: 1899–1900 Northern Rugby Football Union season.
NRFU Implemented: 1900–01 Northern Rugby Football Union season.