text: how's american football's rule different form rugby's? except that players have to wear lots of protections in american football? watch both the games and compare the similarities, and differances.  to me the only similarieties are tackling and converting a try/touchdown.  there are so many differences. for american football  complete stoppage in play after every tackle of the ball carrier.  3 teams for differant jobs, attack, defence, special teams. timeouts coaches challenges they have some very strange rules aswell unneccesarry roughness pass interferance holding there are 7 referees in american football.  these are only a few to name