▁to ▁play ▁rugby . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁this ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁break - away ▁sport , ▁rugby ▁league , ▁the ▁rules ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁codes ▁of ▁rugby ▁( union ▁and ▁league ) ▁would ▁themselves ▁diver ge . ▁ ▁Over view ▁Modern ▁rugby ▁league ▁has ▁been ▁jud ged ▁by ▁William ▁K . ▁F ram pton ▁as ▁having ▁" an ▁amaz ing ▁res embl ance ▁to ▁the ▁original ▁Canadian ▁game ". ▁F ram pton ▁character ised ▁rugby ▁league ▁as ▁" so ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁game ▁Neil ▁Taylor ▁played ▁that ▁is ▁effectively ▁an ▁improved ▁version ▁of ▁it ". ▁However ▁the ▁games ▁diver ged ▁subsequently ▁resulting ▁in ▁major ▁differences ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁forward ▁pass , ▁where ▁the ▁ball ▁is ▁thrown ▁to ▁a ▁receiver ▁located ▁farther ▁down ▁field . ▁ ▁The ▁field ▁ ▁The ▁Canadian ▁football ▁field ▁is ▁ ▁long ▁and ▁ ▁wide ▁with ▁end ▁zones ▁ ▁deep . ▁At ▁each ▁goal ▁line ▁is ▁a ▁set ▁of ▁ ▁goal posts , ▁which ▁consist ▁of ▁two ▁u pr ights ▁joined ▁by ▁a ▁ ▁cross bar ▁which ▁is ▁ ▁above ▁the ▁goal ▁line . ▁The ▁goal posts ▁may ▁be ▁H - sh aped ▁( both ▁posts ▁fixed ▁in ▁the ▁ground ) ▁although ▁in ▁the ▁higher - cal ib re ▁compet itions ▁the ▁tun ing - f ork ▁design ▁( supported ▁by ▁a ▁single ▁cur ved ▁post ▁behind ▁the ▁goal ▁line , ▁so ▁that ▁each ▁post ▁starts ▁ ▁above ▁the ▁ground ) ▁is ▁preferred . ▁ ▁A ▁rugby ▁league ▁field ▁is ▁similar , ▁it ▁may