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An old saying in UK  goes “Football is a gentleman’s game played by ruffians and rugby is a ruffian’s game played by gentlemen”. Rugby league and rugby union are the only two sports referred to as “rugby” today. Historically, the wikipedia describes “rugby union as widely regarded as an ‘establishment’  sport,  played mostly by members of the upper and middle classes”. To illustrate, many students at private schools and grammar schools play rugby union. On the other hand, rugby league was traditionally regarded as the game played by the working and middle class .

Whatever you may call it—rugby football  or just plainly say  “rugby”, this is the sports that may refer to  a common form of football developed in different areas of England and adapted by Australia, America and Canada.