Complex sentence: Rugby football began to be played in Sydney's schools in the early 1860s, and, in the more than 150 years since, the game in New South Wales has grown to include more than 100,000 participants.
Split into simpler sentences: Rugby football began to be played in Sydney's schools in the early 1860s. In the more than 150 years since, the game in New South Wales has grown to include more than 100,000 participants.