History of rugby league: Encyclopedia II - History of rugby league - The schism in Great Britain

History of rugby league - The schism in Great Britain

In 1892, charges of professionalism were laid against clubs in Bradford and Leeds, both in Yorkshire, after they compensated players for missing work. This was despite the fact that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) was allowing other players to be paid, such as the 1888 England team that toured Australia, or the account of Harry Hamill of his payments to represent New South Wales (NSW) against England in 1904.

In 1893, Yorkshire clubs complained that southern clubs were over-represented on the RFU committee and that committee meeting were held in London at times which made it difficult for northern members to attend. By implication they were arguing that this affected the RFU's decisions on the issue of "broken time" payments (as compensation for the loss of income) to the detriment of northern clubs who made up the majority of English rugby clubs. Payment for broken time was a proposal put forward by Yorkshire clubs that would allow players to be receive up to six shillings when they missed work due to match commitments. The idea was voted down by the RFU, and widespread suspensions of northern clubs and players began.

On August 29, 1895 representatives of the northern clubs met in the George Hotel, Huddersfield to form the "Northern Rugby Football Union" (usually termed Northern Union or NU), a professional body. The separate Lancashire and Yorkshire competitions of the NRFU merged in 1901, forming the Northern Rugby League, the first time the name rugby league was used officially. The NRFU became the Rugby Football League in 1922.

It is noteworthy that the professional Football League was formed in 1888, comprising 12 soccer clubs from northern England. This may have inspired the northern rugby officials to form their own professional league.

The rugby union authorities took drastic action, issuing sanctions against clubs and players and officials involved in the new organisation. This extended even to amateurs who played with or against Northern Union sides. Consequentially, northern clubs that existed purely for social and recreational rugby began to affiliate to the Northern Union, whilst retaining amateur status. By 1904 the new body had more clubs affiliated to it than the RFU.

Similar schisms in soccer were threatened with the formations of the British Football Association in 1884 and the Amateur Football Association in 1907, but were averted.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The schism in Great Britain", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki