1901 - The ORFU stated that all players must sign amateur cards. CRU rules that the ball was to be placed on the ground in line with the front foot of the Scrimmage before the lines could come together. John Thrift Meldrum Burnside's revised football rules were put into play in University of Toronto Inter-faculty games, and later in the Mulock Cup championship games.

1903 - The ORFU adopted the Burnside Rules which reduced teams to 12 men per side, put into play the Snap-Back system of moving the ball, required the offensive team to gain 10 yards on three downs, abolished the Throw-ln from the sidelines, permitted only six men on the line, stated that all Goals by Kicking were to be worth 2 points and the opposition was to line up 10 yards from the defenders on all Kicks. The Rules were to be made uniform across the country as quickly as possible. The CIRFU, QRFU and CRU refused to adopt the new Rules. QRFU and CRU reduced their rosters from 15 to 14 players. CRU ruled that possession could not go beyond 3 scrimmages unless during the third scrimmage the ball was moved 5 yards on a run or a kick. Ottawa returned to the QRFU and MRFU moved to a fall schedule.

1904 - The value of a Try (touchdown) was increased to 5 points and Goals from a Try was reduced to 1 point in the ORFU. QRFU adopted a rule by Tom (King) Clancy of Ottawa that a team must make 5 yards on its third scrimmage to keep possession of the ball.

1905 - The Intercollegiate and Quebec Unions refused the Burnside Rules. For championship games, the CRU ruled the teams would use QRFU rules for the first half and the Intercollegiate rules for the second half. QRFU moved to four 15-minute quarters; Trys worth 5 points and Goals from Trys worth 1 point. CIRFU adopted 10-yard rule for 3 downs and the ORFU gave captains the option of playing four 15-minute quarters. Goals from the Field were increased to 3 points and the Fair Catch rule was replaced by a 3-yard Punt Return rule.

1906 - Specifications first laid down for the size of football - 11 inches long, 23 inches in circumference and 13-3/4 ounces in weight. Goals from the Field and Free Kicks were increased to 4 points in the ORFU. Games were four 15-minute quarters in length. CIRFU lowered Goals from the Field to 4 points and Free Kicks to 3 points. Calgary City Rugby Foot-ball Club was formed Wednesday, March 14th at Calgary City Hall.

1907 - The Interprovincial Rugby Football union (Big Four) grew out of an amalgamation between the Hamilton Tigers, Toronto Argonauts of the ORFU and the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Montreal Foot Ball Club of the QRFU on Friday, September 13, 1907. The QRFU withdrew from senior competition. The Ottawa entry was the result of the amalgamation of the Ottawa St. Pats and Rough Riders. Montreal won the Big Four's first game, 17-8 over Toronto andsubsequently became the league's first championship team. Calgary City Rugby Foot-ball Club played its first game on Thursday, October 31st and defeated the Strathcona Rugby Foot-ball Club 15-0 at Calgary. The CRU adopted the Intercollegiate rule of 1 yard between opposing lines and stated that the lines could not move until the ball was put into play by the Scrimmage. Teams had to gain 10 yards in 3 downs; a Try was 5 points; a Goal from a Try was 1 point; a Goal from the Field was 4 points; a Free Kick was 3 points and a Penalty Kick was worth 2 points The ORFU adopted the CRU rules. The Edmonton Rugby Foot-ball Club was formed on Wednesday, April 10th and adopted the uniform colours of black with yellow facings. Edmonton played its first game on Saturday, November 9th and defeated the Calgary City Rugby Foot-ball Club 26-5 at the Edmonton Exhibition Grounds. The Saskatchewan Rugby Football League was formed.

1908 - Calgary City Rugby Foot-ball Club was re-organized as the Tigers on Thursday, August 27th and adopted yellow and black as the team colours. Calgary Rugby Football Union was formed on Tuesday, September 29th in the offices of the Sovereign Life Insurance Company. The Caledonia and Hillhurst Football Clubs play for the championship of the Central Alberta Rugby Football League on Friday, September 4th. The Edmonton Rugby Foot-ball Club was re-organized as the Esquimoux on Friday, October 16th . Goals from theField were reduced to 3 points by the CRU.

1909 - Lord Earl Grey, the Governor General of Canada, donated a trophy to be awarded for the Rugby Football Championship of Canada. Only teams registered with the Canadian Rugby Union were eligible to compete for the trophy. The first game was played in Toronto at Rosedale Field on Saturday, December 4th between the University of Toronto and the Parkdale Canoe Club with the University of Toronto winning 26-6 before 3,807 fans. Hugh Gall kicked a record eight singles in the game for the U of T. The gross revenue was $2,616.40. On Saturday, December 11th, following an invitation from the New York Herald newspaper, Hamilton Tigers and Ottawa Rough Riders played an exhibition game of Canadian football in New York City at Van Cortland Park. Tigers won 11-6 before 15,000 fans.

1910 - Regina Rugby Club was formed on Tuesday, September 13th at the Regina City Hall and adopted the colours of old gold and purple. On Thursday, September 22nd the Saskatchewan Rugby Football Union was organized in the Flanagan Hotel at Saskatoon. SRFU adopted the CRU rules. Regina played Moose Jaw Tigers in its first game on Saturday, October 1st at the Moose Jaw Baseball Grounds. The Tigers won 16-6. Edmonton changed its name to the Eskimos.

1911 - Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta Unions formed the Western Canada Rugby Football Union on Saturday, October 21st. Regina RC changed its colours to blue and white. Winnipeg realtor Hugo Ross donated the championship trophy bearing his name. He subsequently drowned in the sinking of the S.S. Titanic in April, 1912. Calgary Tigers won the Western Championship and challenged for the Grey Cup, but the CRU would not accept the challenge because the WCRFU was not a full member of the CRU. University of Toronto defeated the Argonauts 14-7 on Saturday, November 25th to win its third consecutive Grey Cup championship.

1912 - Regina Rugby Club adopted the colours of the Canadian contingent in the Spanish-American War - red and black Hamilton Alerts were suspended by the ORFU on Saturday, November 23rd for flaunting the authority of the Union. Toronto Rowing and Athletic Club had protested a penalty call which had resulted in a victory for the Alerts. The ORFU ordered the game be re-played on the 23rd, but the Alerts refused to field a full team. The Alerts lost to Toronto 39-7 while the main squad lost a regularly scheduled match in Hamilton to the Tigers 12-8. The Alerts went on to defeat the Toronto Argonauts 11-4 in the Grey Cup Game. Many of the players joined the Tigers of IRFU the following season.

1913 - Hamilton Tigers played four exhibition matches in Western Canada defeating Winnipeg 26-1, Regina 26-4, Moose Jaw 25-1 and Calgary 19-2. This is the first documented East-West series of games. On Saturday, September 6th the Hamilton Alerts applied for reinstatement in the ORFU under the name of the East Hamilton Athletic Association, but the request was denied. The Hamilton Rowing Club, however, was accepted.

1914 - The remnants of the Hamilton Alerts operated separately from any Union for several seasons before fading from the scene. The CRU appointed Head Linesmen and the CIRFU adopted a 3-yard Interference rule. IRFU adopted a Residence Rule.

1916-1918 - No games because of the First World War. <>1919 - No playoff games because of a rules dispute with the CRU in the West, lack of interest in the East and student studies to the Intercollegiate Union which were more important.

1920 - CIRFU and IRFU adopted a 4-yard Interference rule while the CRU opted for 3 yards of Interference.

1921 - Western Canada Rugby Football Union joined the CRU and challenged for the Grey Cup. Edmonton Eskimos, first Western team to play in a Grey Cup game, lost to Toronto Argonauts 23-0. Rule changes included reducing players from 14 to 12 per side; putting ball into play by snapping it back; limit of 18 players with substitutes permitted freely.

1923 - Calgary Tigers renamed the 50th Battalion. Queen's defeats Regina 54-0 as Queen's scored a record nine touchdowns on Saturday, December 1st. Edmonton withdrew from competition.

1924 - Coach Bill Hughes of Queen's introduced the use of films as a coaching technique. Numbering of players, although used for years was made compulsory. The Regina Rugby Club became the Regina Roughriders.