I had the misfortune not to be at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon, so I decided to watch England V S.Africa.

A battling bruising game in which Newcastle Falcons' Johnny Wilkinson starred. The man of the Series was Martin Johnson and I would give it him for holding himself back from retaliating against the Springboks forwards.

In maul after maul you would see Johnson getting punched in the face by a Bok forward. Yet he kept his cool and put the effort into more legal ways of breaking down the opposition. In such a brutal game where nobody was sinned binned you could excuse Johnson if he decided to take his frustration out on some poor South African but no.

It makes me think why don't footballers take this attitude. Rugby is a rough sport and you can get away with a lot more than on a football field, I should know I played hooker for Northumberland Schools U19's where I learnt my share of 'new tricks'.

In football you are under more scrutiny and the game is supposed to be less violent, but players like Viera against Leeds who head-butted Bakke and then kicked Dacourt in the face, both seemingly unprovoked, carry on with their amatuer behaviour.

Football is a gentlemen's game played by thugs. Rugby is a thug's game played by gentlemen.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2000

Answers

It's the old voluntary code thing isn't it DB? Rugby has so much potential for violent conduct that the players know they have to exert self-control, otherwise they themselves will get 'done'.

There isn't the same scope for hidden retribution in footy - although there was certainly more 20 years ago.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2000