</s> ▁Rugby ▁league ▁se vens ▁( or ▁simply ▁se vens ) ▁is ▁a ▁seven - a - side ▁derivative ▁of ▁rugby ▁league ▁football , ▁which ▁is ▁usually ▁a ▁th ir teen - a - side ▁sport . ▁The ▁game ▁is ▁substantial ly ▁the ▁same ▁as ▁full ▁rugby ▁league , ▁with ▁some ▁rule ▁changes ▁and ▁shorter ▁games . ▁Se vens ▁is ▁usually ▁played ▁in ▁festiv als , ▁as ▁its ▁shorter ▁game ▁play ▁allows ▁for ▁a ▁tournament ▁to ▁be ▁completed ▁in ▁a ▁day ▁or ▁over ▁a ▁single ▁week end . ▁ ▁As ▁well ▁as ▁being ▁played ▁by ▁club ▁sides , ▁rugby ▁league ▁se vens ▁is ▁particularly ▁popular ▁with ▁social ▁teams , ▁formed ▁in ▁the ▁work place ▁or ▁from ▁the ▁pat rons ▁of ▁a ▁public ▁house ▁for ▁example , ▁as ▁it ▁is ▁often ▁difficult ▁in ▁these ▁places ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁full ▁squad ▁of ▁ 1 3 ▁players ▁and ▁four ▁subst it utes ▁of ▁regular ▁players . ▁Some ▁tournament s ▁prefer ▁to ▁play ▁rugby ▁league ▁n ines ▁( rug by ▁league ▁with ▁nine ▁players ▁on ▁each ▁side ) ▁to ▁distinguish ▁it ▁from ▁rugby ▁union ▁se vens . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁game ▁of ▁rugby ▁se vens ▁dates ▁back ▁to ▁its ▁in vention ▁by ▁Ned ▁Ha ig ▁in ▁Mel rose ▁in ▁the ▁Scottish ▁B orders ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 , ▁just ▁over ▁a ▁de cade ▁before ▁the ▁sch ism ▁in ▁rugby ▁football ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁rugby ▁league ▁and ▁rugby ▁union . ▁However , ▁rugby ▁se vens ▁did