The Rugby League Hall of Fame honours the leading players of the sport of
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
. It was established by the sport's governing body in the UK, the
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league in England, and until 1995 for the whole British Isles. The name Rugby Football League previously also referred to the main league competition run by the organisati ...
, in 1988. Players must have been retired for at least five years to be eligible; they must also have played at least ten years within the British game. Players are chosen for induction to the hall of fame by a panel consisting of sports writers, broadcasters and officials.
Inductions to the hall of fame have been sporadic. Nine players were inducted when the hall was opened in 1988 and one more was added the following year. In 1995 the members of the hall of fame appeared on postage stamps released as part of Britain's centenary celebrations. There were no new inductees until 2000, when three more players were introduced as part of the buildup to the
2000 Rugby League World Cup. A further four players were inducted in 2005, and four more in 2013 during the fourteenth World Cup.
The Hall of Fame is located at the
George Hotel in
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
, where a group of northern clubs met in 1895 and resolved to leave the
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the Sports governing body, national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby ...
to form their own body, which led to the development of the separate codes of
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
and
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
.
Hall of Fame members
See also
*
Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame
The Australian Rugby LeaguHall of Fame'' honours players who have shown exceptional skill at rugby league, all-time great coaches and referees, and other major contributors to the game who are Australian.
It was officially established in 2002, ...
References
External links
Rugby League Hall of Fame at rugby-league.com
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Rugby league in the United Kingdom
Halls of fame in the United Kingdom
Rugby league museums and halls of fame
Awards established in 1988
1988 establishments in the United Kingdom