Comparison of rugby league and rugby union 1 in league. A penalty goal is worth 3 points in union and 2 points in league. Use of a penalty box (or "sin bin") was introduced by rugby league in 1980. Rugby union had been experimenting with the same concept since 1979, although it was not formally sanctioned until 2001. Video referee technology was first used for rugby league in 1996 and for rugby union in 2001. In rugby league the ball may be thrown or knocked out of play deliberately, while in union those are penalty offences. Kicking the ball out of play is legal in both codes.
Rugby union in Samoa Rugby union in Samoa Rugby union in Samoa is the country's most popular sport. The national teams in both the standard 15-man game and rugby sevens are consistently competitive against teams from vastly more populous nations. Rugby union is governed by the Samoa Rugby Union who are also members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance. Samoa were awarded 'second tier' status by the International Rugby Board which entitles them to funding from the IRB. The Samoa Rugby Union was founded in 1924, as the "Apia Rugby Union", and affiliated to the NZRFU in the same year. As the Western Samoa