Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league or simply league, football, footy or rugby is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres wide and 112–122 metres long with H shaped posts at both ends of the field. It is one of the two extant codes of rugby football, the other being rugby union. It originated in Yorkshire in 1895 as the result of a split from the Rugby Football Union over the issue of payments to the players. The rules of the game governed by the new Northern Rugby Football Union progressively changed from those of the RFU with the specific aim of producing a faster and more entertaining game to appeal to spectators, on whose income the new organisation and its members depended. Due to its high-velocity contact, cardio-based endurance and minimal use of body protection, rugby league is widely regarded as the toughest and most brutal collision sport in the world.
Rugby league football is a participation and spectator sport in Canada. The code was first introduced to Canada in the 20th century, but the game struggled to survive in a competitive sporting market. By the end of the century, rugby league had disappeared completely from Canada. The game was re-introduced to Canada in the early 21st century with the formation of a national team. The start of an amateur domestic competition saw rugby league grow. In 2017, professional rugby league arrived in Canada with the Toronto Wolfpack joining the predominantly British and French Rugby Football League system in the third tier League 1.
Robert James Beswick is a former rugby league footballer who played as a hooker or loose forward. He started his professional career in 2004 with the Wigan Warriors in the Super League. He left the club in 2006 and spent the next ten seasons in the Championship with the Widnes Vikings, Halifax and the Leigh Centurions. In 2017, Beswick joined the Toronto Wolfpack and played in the club's inaugural league game before finishing his career with Newcastle Thunder. Beswick also represented at Ireland at international level, and was capped 26 times between 2006 and 2019.
Josh McCrone is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a halfback and five-eighth for the Toronto Wolfpack in the Betfred Super League.
RFL League One is a professional rugby league competition based in the United Kingdom. Part of the British rugby league pyramid, the competition features clubs from England and Wales, and has previously included clubs from Canada and France. It is the Rugby Football League's (RFL) third-tier competition, below the Championship, with which it has promotion and relegation.
Tony Gigot is a French professional rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback, stand-off, centre or scrum-half for France at international level and Toulouse Olympique in the Betfred Super League and France at international level.
Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback for the Keighley Cougars in Betfred League 1.
Ricky Leutele is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League.
Ryan Brierley is a Scotland international rugby league footballer who plays as a goal-kicking fullback, scrum-half or stand-off for the Salford Red Devils in the Betfred Super League.
Gareth "Gaz" O'Brien is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback, scrum-half or stand-off for the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League.
The Toronto Wolfpack are a Canadian professional rugby league club based in Toronto, Ontario, who compete in the North American Rugby League.
Andrew Ackers is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the Salford Red Devils in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
Jack "Bus" Bussey is an English rugby league footballer who plays as a loose forward, second-row or stand-off for Featherstone Rovers in the Betfred Championship.
Rhys Jacks is a Canada international rugby league footballer who plays as a halfback for the Easts Tigers in the Intrust Super Cup.
The 2017 Toronto Wolfpack season was the inaugural season for the Toronto Wolfpack rugby league football club. The Wolfpack finished 1st in League 1, winning 20 of their 22 matches, and earned promotion to 2018 Rugby League Championship.
The 2017 League 1, known as the Kingstone Press League 1 for sponsorship reasons, was a professional rugby league football competition played in England, Wales and Canada, the third tier of the sport for RFL affiliated clubs.
Ryan Burroughs is an American professional rugby football player who has played primarily rugby league he has represented the United States National Rugby League team in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, as well as the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9's. He last played rugby league for Barrow Raiders. He left the club to sign for rugby union's Major League Rugby side Old Glory DC. Primarily playing on the wing, he can also play as fullback or centre.
Quinn Ngawati is a Canadian rugby union player currently signed with Rugby New York in Major League Rugby.
Joseph Michael Eichner is an American rugby league footballer who played professionally for the Toronto Wolfpack during their inaugural season in League 1. Primarily playing as a second-row, Eichner is a United States international representative and was a member of their 2017 World Cup squad and 2019 9’s Rugby League World Cup squad. He currently plays for New York Freedom in the North American Rugby League where he was the first ever player signed by the newly formed club.
Super League XXV, known as the Betfred Super League for sponsorship reasons, was the 25th season of the Super League and 126th season of rugby league in Great Britain. St Helens were the reigning champions going into Super League XXV. At the start of the season, it consisted of twelve professional rugby league teams: ten from England, one from Canada, and one from France. Due to financial pressures related to the season suspension, Canadian side Toronto Wolfpack withdrew from the league in July 2020, and the league continued with just 11 teams.
Barrow Raiders 
Batley Bulldogs 
Bradford Bulls 
Castleford Tigers 
Coventry Bears 
Dewsbury Rams 
Doncaster 
Featherstone Rovers 
Gloucestershire All Golds 
Halifax 
Hemel Stags 
Huddersfield Giants 
Hull Kingston Rovers 
Hunslet 
Keighley Cougars 
Leeds Rhinos 
Leigh Centurions 
London Broncos 
London Skolars 
Newcastle Thunder 
North Wales Crusaders 
Oxford 
Rochdale Hornets 
Salford Red Devils 
Siddal 
Sheffield Eagles 
West Wales Raiders 
St Helens 
Swinton Lions 
Toulouse Olympique 
Warrington Wolves 
Whitehaven 
Widnes Vikings 
Wigan Warriors 
Workington Town 
York City Knights 
Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster, South Yorkshire 
Queensway Stadium, Wrexham, Wrexham County Borough 
Lamport Stadium, Toronto, Ontario 
South Wales Ironmen 
