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 Football Union, it joined the IRB in 1988. When Western Samoa amended its constitution to change the country's name from "Western Samoa" to "Samoa", the union also changed its name, and dropped the word football to become the "Samoa Rugby Union". The union is also a member of the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU). The Marist Brothers brought the game to Samoa in 1920 and The Apia Rugby Union was formed in 1924. On August 18, 1924 Western Samoa played its first international against Fiji in the capital Apia, the visitors winning 6-0. The Pacific Tri-Nations series between