Rugby Players! if your in the wrong place at the wrong time you can get stomped on. They bash each other up with amazing hits! and the game doesn't stop and start like Gridiron. And! rugby players don't need to wear protection, it's not compulsary.

ok lets think about this. everyone assumes rugby is tougher because of no pads- dead wrong. first of all for the most part the pads simply make the hits harder, they are made of steal and plastic and there are no pads to protect the center of you body i.e. ribs, or most of you legs. if you wanna get really critical most guys in the nfl only where the smallest pair of shoulder pads they can find and a helmet anyway. now for the helmet issue. there is much more lowering of the head and head to head contanct in football, and while the helmets help, there are a rediculous number of concusions. you just dont get hit as hard or in the head as many times in rugby. (ive played both) for the most part football players are bigger, faster, and stronger than players in any other sport as well. try getting hit in full pads by a 235 pound linebacker who runs a 4.6 forty, and then get hit by a rugby player who may be just as big and fast (doughtfull) but even if he was as big and fast the helmet and shoulder pads made of STEAL and HARD plastic only allow you to hit harder. also many of the hits in football are anticipated by pre snap reads and great instincts, and that means your getting every bit of that 4.8 speed to go along with the 300 lbs of man.think about it, ive played both and football hurts sooooo much more.

I think it is different kinds of toughness. Rugby and Australian rules without the helmet and pad element have to deal with a lot more exposed contact to the face, etc. There is a certain threshold that has to be met there. As someone who played American football at the college level, and ran a lot of special teams on kick coverages, the toughness in American football is different. You are dealing with insane impact by human missiles and even as a good player you are going to get the short end once in awhile. Different types of toughness, that is all I can really say.

Define Tough! Being able to withstand a 300lb / 100kg monster charging towards you.. that takes a certain kind of toughness! Being able to play 90 min of tackling, scrumming, ears getting chewed, face getting stomped on.. that takes a certain kind of toughness! Being able to run out a 100 min game (minimum) where you have to jump, tackle, run 8km in the process, kick an oval ball with precision, absorb tackles and collisions at full speed.. that takes a certain kind of toughness! Only the toughest succeed at their chosen sport! The question I think that is more clear cut.. is that of.. "Which code of football has the best athletes?" The answer is Australian Rules. No other sport requires the cardio fitness, the agility, the speed, the all round strength required to tackle, jump, hold off an opponent, and the coordination to control an oval shaped ball while running at full speed, being wrestled or in the air! And do it for over 100 min! It was proven during a physical testing program using Soccer, AFL, Rugby, Triathletes, Sailors, Hockey, Basket Ball, Net Ball etc.. and the best performed person was an AFL player! Ponder that!

I've always seen Australian rules as a mesh of rugby and Gaelic, so i'll go for that.