Tbh I'm surprised how many people are ok with this. I personally think it reflects badly on the sport. Tampering with a ball, however transient, is cynical and brings the game into disrepute. Like trapping the arm, the phantom flop, and all other types of cynical theatrics, it is unsportsmanlike. I always thought we prided ourselves on having possibly the least unsportsmanlike game in the world?

Come off it!!!

Golf/Cricket/Snooker have always been more streets ahead in terms of sportsmanship.

Take a look at some black and white footage of RL, some of the shots on there make the Taylor hit look tame.

We used to have players throwing extra balls onto the pitch, pulling balls out in tackles conning the ref about knock - ons.

Eye gouging - yes it used to happen, hence the rule against it.
conning the ref by holding a player so it looks like he is holding you down. Ratboy is a great exponent of this.

Nice attempt to reflect fake disgust, but putting water on the ball is very tame. What are they going to do when it rains, stop the team rubbing the ball in the mud before handing it over. Making the ref walk around with towels, like snooker refs with their cloths, cleaning the ball at the say so of a players request..

As I say, nice attempt.