Rugby XIII or rugby league: its name comes from the Rugby Football League, which was founded in 1895, when 22 member teams of the Rugby Football Union left and formed their own league. The reason for the split was the decision of Rugby Union to consider that they were not amateurs, and therefore those players who were miners or factory workers were not allowed to participate in games. The North English clubs had many such players, considered this criterion unfair and withdrew, founding the Northern Rugby Football Union, which was later renamed the Rugby Football League. Gradually Rugby League’s rules begun to differentiate with those of Rugby Union. Internationally, rugby league is overseen by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF), which was founded in 1948 and has 45 member federations.