a form of rugby played in teams of thirteen, originally by a group of northern English clubs which separated from rugby union in 1895. Besides having somewhat different rules, the game differed from rugby union in always allowing professionalism.
联盟制橄榄球(由每队13人参加的一种橄榄球运动,最初盛行于1895年从业余英式橄榄球分离出来的英格兰北部一些俱乐部,除了在比赛规则上与业余英式橄榄球稍有不同外,它一直允许职业球员参赛)。