So it seems the "toffs" stereotype was spot on.

I'd prefer not stereotyping people, but hey that's not gonna happen here is it?

I'm sure Luther Burrell, product of that fine educational establishment Huddersfield New College fits the toff description perfectly - no, really.

I often find stereotypes to be alarmingly accurate.

Careful. You're mighty close to stereotyping other posters on RLFANS with that remark.

Pick that bottom lip up and stop stamping your feet.

Might it be pertinent to point out that Luther Burrell wasn't fighting nor referred to as a toff...only the 2 public schoolboys that were engaging in fisticuffs were labeled such?

It would, if the report the OP linked to had made any reference to the background of the two players involved. For all the OP knew, they could both have been educated at the local comprehensive.

A poor attempt at revisionism.

Mind you, by my reckoning at least 15 of the 26 English players in the Worcester squad were privately educated.

Of the remaining 11, 2 were definitely state educated, the remainder either have no profile information or have had careers long and prestigious enough that their schools are no longer relevant enough to mention. My guess would be that around 20 would be in total.

Aside from rugby union convert Ewan Dowes, can anyone think of any privately educated RL players? I'm sure there must have been some.

"Private" as in a posh fee-paying school or "Private" as in "home educated due to their schools exclusion policies" ???

Yes, that could make quite a difference as distinctions go.

Lets go with the former.

State schools don't tend to offer rugby as an option. We have trouble finding players because non of our local schools do it and the kids all play football because all you need is ball and some "jumpers for goalposts". All the private schools in the area offer rugby (in fact often insist).

Liam Botham?

Where did you get this information?

I notice that a lot of the Union clubs have a lot of information about player's backgrounds, mostly schools attended. I also notice that virtually none of those schools were comprehensives.

Two things, doesn't this show the "toffs" stereotype to be fairly accurate and why is the private school attended so important to these people?

Retired, but a good call all the same. Another union convert.

Botham and Dowes only serving, of course, as privately educated Unions boys, to further the stereotype.