Rugby union is one of the leading professional and recreational team sports in Queensland. The earliest known rugby football games played in Brisbane occurred 1876, when the Brisbane Football Club elected to change to Rugby instead of 'Victorian Rules' (now known as Australian Rules) which it had played since its founding in 1866, to permit competition with the newly formed Rangers and Bonnet Rouge football clubs. The Rugby game continued for three seasons, when clubs reverted to Victorian Rules in 1879.