Rugby League today on TV

The Rugby League was born as an independent modality in 1895, after the division generated within the world of rugby. The main cause of contention was the possibility of awarding financial compensation to players for the time they spent playing this sport instead of working. 22 clubs decided to form the Northern Rugby Football Union and leave the Rugby Union.

The first international match was held in 1904, when England faced a combined from the rest of the world, mainly made up of players from Wales. The rules used were similar to those of traditional rugby, only modified in some aspects such as the number of members per team and the scoring system.

The first television broadcast of the Rugby League took place in Australia. The 1967 NSWRFL final was the first major sporting event to be broadcast. Local network Nine Newtork paid a total of $ 5,000 to acquire the rights. Years later it also landed on UK television. The BBC organized a competition specifically to be able to broadcast the matches at night.

The first Rugby League World Cup was played in 1954 and had Great Britain as its inaugural champion, after beating France in the final. Since 2013 the tournament has been held every four years without interruption. Australia is the great dominator of the event's record, having won more than a dozen titles.