3 criminally soft tries from dummy half is shocking but nothing compared to 1 up rugby against 12 men and not even attempting to use the overlap. Amateur would be an improvement on this. Driving away the fans with this boring style of rugby and if it doesn’t get results it’s time to make a change

I think fairbank should be banned no problem with that at all , hallas should receive a ban also , if player welfare is paramount and the game is to be fair then that should be the outcome, if it isn’t it is setting the precedent of as long as it’s not seen I can break the rules , not an attitude I want to be seen in any sport .

It was like watching a game from the 80s. Traditional opening minutes of softening up. Punches thrown. We even provided some rotund forwards to add to the effect.

Maybe that’s why fairbank was sporting his sting from dune hairdo , crossley doing his best attempt at the batistuta nod after Beckham sending off in 98 .

The fact that a player called Fairbank was sent off added even more to the air of nostalgia.

Haha. Bongser recalls Karl Konkreet, but for a second thought of George Fairbairn. When playing for HKR at home in the early eighties, the latter absolutely chinned a young second choice Leigh half (think his name was David Dunn). The lad was flat out - no action taken. The game was on the box and the Beeb summariser said "In fairness, the lad was asking for that."

My, my (or in third person: His, his), how the game has changed!