The issue with rugby players playing hard and enjoying a bit of "biff" is that it's usually a fairly equal contest it's in a controlled environment and you have the opportunity of getting your own back and then shaking hands at the end of the game and having a social. The old players that I've spoken to loved that spirit as it proved that they were hard uncompromising but in general gave as good as they got and they were SPORTS

Fans outside the pub brawling bears no comparison to ANY of that and by and large it's based on cowardice where one group outnumber the other

There's always a weird pretense from commentators that "we don't want to see that" when, in fact, everyone does. Whether they admit it or not.

When people talk about RL not being as good as it used to, I think the loss of aggression and needle is the biggest factor. Watching two sides go at each other was edge of your seat stuff. It was unmatched by any other sport.

Instead of cancelling games, they could say if you can't raise a full team each side nominate their hardest three guys available and they can fight for the points, last man standing. First half fists only then you can bring nunchucks and stuff in the second half. Doesn't need to be in the stadium they could just find an old skipyard, just make sure the cameras are there. You could sell the TV rights to a wider audience than watches rugby league.

Could allow coaches too, Brian McDermott, Karl Harrison.

This. Same with a crash in F1 (very dull if there isn't one). However, ones darker side gets reeled in when thinking of Ayrton Senna and Noel's House Party, when what was an integral part of the "show" goes mortally wrong for some individuals.

I wonder if actually the real reason people like brawls is because the intensity of the game inevitably increases afterwards.

After two front rowers have had a big head to head, next hit up you know the one who has the ball is going to seek out his opposite number and run it in harder than he has done all game. The fans will get into the game too. You never get a game where the teams just go through the motions after there has been a brawl. Scoreboard doesn't matter.

The WW3 game is legendary for the fisticuffs, but also because of the intensity of the game. Same with the Bradford game in 2000.

Oh yes a good brawl always lifted a game to another level. We used to be quite good at using them for motivation as well, especially in previous sides that lacked talent. As a sport we should've embraced that side of our game. Ice Hockey commentators laud the scraps in their game....admittedly it doesn't have much else, but still we shouldn't feel so coy about a small thing that added to what WAS the greatest game.

One of the best ones I "remember" (another birthday, tomorrow), was circa 2000, when Fleary and Farrell of Leeds started on Langer. Andrew Gee wasn't having any of that, so he went in, windmilling like a 1970's Pete Townsend.

Sadly, we didn't see the Gee we were promised, propwise, just Langer's minder

Spot on.
I never really had a problem with Eddie and Stevo, but it hacked me off when Stevo used to chirp up "there are kids here, they don't want to see this".
YES THEY DO.
Why do you think so many of them go to watch the pantomime that is WWE?

The Widnes game away in the premiership play off will take some beating.. chaos from kick off...

Talking of Stevo. I'm a little too young to have watched stevo play back in the day. BUT. Wasnt he one of the worst offenders back in the day???

as a kid I wasn't allowed to watch Robocop or Child's Play so PG-rated content like Drummond v Iro was a rare treat, it set us a better example than Rijkaard and Voller anyway

What a great day!!

Was it front page of the Mirror the next day? Rugby League's Day of Shame? Memory may be playing tricks.

iirc, Drummond was nailed on for a GB tour spot, yet the RFL went in with hobnail boots, and banned him from the tour, even before the squad was announced

When the incident went to the courts, Drummond was absolved, and promptly told the RFL to shove it. A shame for him, as he was EASILY still International class. Imagine him AND Offiah on both wings, in Test Match rugby.

Another wow of a brawl was a lancs cup game away at saints on a Wednesday night I think 2 from each team were sent off and some spent time in sin bin at various times in the game..and we won as well