[1] The Masters derivative of rugby league aimed to extend the playing, and officiating, life of people.

In 2008, in the United Kingdom the Rugby Football League (RFL) noted that there were only 2,000 registered club players aged 30 or over.

[2] This illustrates how the physical nature of competitive rugby league lends itself to being a young person's sport.

[2] Masters Rugby League in New Zealand has seen a growth in the number of teams since then as clubs became more aware of this grade.

There are slight differences between those adopted in New Zealand and the United Kingdom and the rules operated in Australia but the general modifications are the same and aim to reduce the physicality of the game, with "Rough and over vigorous play" not being condoned, and to reduce the amount of running, for example the defence must only retreat 5 metres at the play-the-ball and there is no running from dummy half.