Why is rugby league referred to as rugby in the southern states?

Eels To Win: Why is rugby league referred to as rugby in the southern states?
I know a lot of people get annoyed when we call it AFL. But why do you call it rugby. Rugby is a totally different sport.

Rugby Union = rugby, union.
Rugby League = league, football.

Rugby is actually rugby union, not rugby league.

(Don’t give stupid answers, be serious)
I’m not bagging anyone out. I’ve seen interviews for aussie rules players who refer to rugby league as rugby.

I sometimes call it AFL but only by accident.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Footy Legend
cause that’s what it is rugby

that’s what we call it

just like u guys call aussie rules AFL

Answer by Hot Pies!
What does it matter?

Answer by giveit2mebabyuhauha
if its totality different
why are you calling it rugby league
test match cricket is different to 20 20
but its still cricket
lasagna and macaroni is still pasta

Answer by john
I think you need to study the origins of Rugby a bit more.

Rugby Union was a game normally played by ‘gentlemen’ (at universities or officers in the Army), primarily the upper classes; these people played for the fun and challenge of the contest, and despised those who played for money (ie professionals)

Rugby League is a bastardised version of Union played by the lower classes or common people, and was the first to attract professional players.

Soccer, is the only game, which can lay claim to the name ‘football’, since players get penalized for making ball contact with their hands, within the field of play (even the goalie, if it occurs outside the goal square). In fact, Soccer is called Football, all over the world.

Out of the two Rugby codes, I honestly think you’d get more respect, if you played Rugby Union than League, since it’s a harder, more physically demanding & requires more stamina than League.

Answer by Jo
Well, I live in the southern most state of Australia and I’ve never referred to Rugby League as “rugby”.
However, down here in Tassie, Rugby League and Rugby Union seem to get as little coverage here as Aussie Rules gets in NSW, ie very little, and, with what to me appears to be far less interest in Rugby League and Rugby Union I can understand how some people could get confused re the correct names for each code.

You could also ask why what Australians know as “Soccer” is referred to as “Football” everywhere else.

Answer by ESS – 93 Red & Black
search ‘rugby league’ on wikipedia, it’s nicknames are:
league, footy, RUGBY, football.

You all call it AFL, which is the league, not the sport, so it’s a hypocrites question.

Rugby League is an adaptation of Rugby with different rules, just like aussie rules (not AFL) is soccer with different rules like tackling and touching the ball with your hands etc.

Answer by SYDNEY SWANS 09!!!
Look I’m not being stupid

I seriously don’t get you and I live in NSW

What the hell are you on about???

EDIT

OH OH, who cares, it’s basicly the same when it comes to ball shape and size and tackleing…. just a few different rules

why would you get angry over that

Answer by RFC/Romper Stomper
I don’t call it Rugby, I call it rugby league or ‘league’, it’s no difference to you lot calling footy (aussie rules) AFL, it is ridiculous, the statements make no sense, here’s an example

‘Why is rugby league better than AFL?’
That question makes no sense at all, what it reads is –
‘Why is rugby league better than Australian Foootball League?

Do you see my point? So in my opinion people calling League, Union even though it’s incorrect makes more sense than you lot calling Aussie Rules, AFL, Do you call League NRL, no, you don’t, you say ‘in the NRL’ or ‘it’s be great to play IN the NRL’ etc etc.

I’ve seen you call aussie rules, AFL you have started calling it Aussie Rules now when you bag it, which you never stop doing, but we just iugnore that crap anyway.

Answer by The Icon of Wrestling
Because we dont care what its called in the southern states. Saying that the eels suck mate

Answer by hellomoto
I call both league and union rugby

Answer by Malditaa [Renee]
Yeah, pretty much the same reason you guys call Aussie Rules AFL.

I don’t really ever talk about it, but when I do, I call it RL or League…

Answer by ste f
Who told you that “rugby” just means rugby union – wrong!!!

Answer by redhzkingswood
Even Rugby commentators refer to Rugby League and Rugby Union, so they must be the correct names.
Both games are totally boring to watch, and the weirdest rules of any game, and the crowd numbers suggest very few people bother to even watch it. I mean, 4 points to try and one for a goal? Ridiculous.
The Sydney Swans can draw more for one game than League and Union combined for a full round.

Answer by Alex
WTF
HOW IS IT NOT RUGBY? rugby/ rugby league/ league same thing

You confuse me

i mean seriously we are not gonna call it footy coz for us AFL is footy