Famous stoushes part of rugby legend

Watching Robin Brooke and Mark Connors square off against each other in last weekend's Super 12 was a rare rugby sight.

Then, just as quickly as the flare-up started, order returned.

The pair packed away their dukes, took a lecture from linesman and referee, and trotted off to the next play.

Since the sport decided to clean up its image and append consistent penalties to offenders, these professionals have learned the cost of transgressing.

Get sent off and the loss of earnings can be significant.

Get sent to the sinbin and there is a high chance teams will concede points when they are a man down.

Players are still sent off and sinbinned.

But the temporary penalties are more likely to be for professional fouls or illegal tackles.

The Chiefs' Paul Mitchell and Waratahs prop Matt Dunning have been exceptions after a sneaky punch or two this season.

Gratuitous violence is an unnecessary part of any sport, but a punch or two seemed a useful way of dealing with opponents who created illegal mayhem away from the referee's gaze.

Senseless acts of thuggery are not, and the all-seeing television camera, increased vigilance from touch judges, suspensions, docked wages and the wrath of coaching staff aim to reduce those levels of villainy.

Punching, even retaliation, had to be deemed unacceptable.

The charity boxing bouts in Auckland this month, in aid of teenage suicides, rekindle memories of those distant days when rugby and league players belted each other and then adjourned to the bar to talk about the fun.

Watching Wayne Shelford go up against Mark Graham, Steve McDowell take on Mark Bourneville, or Frank Bunce tackle Tea Ropati will excite those who revelled in a decent stoush at the footy.

It will be a legitimate inspection of what used to happen. Like the 1987 World Cup drama, when Shelford knocked out Welsh forward Huw Richards, who was sent off when he woke up.

Or the 1990 punch McDowell used to spread French prop Laurent Seigne's nose across his face.

Other famous punches have been felt across the rugby globe.

In 1966, All Black lock Colin Meads knocked out tiny Lions first five-eighths David Watkins. Meads was chided for his act and protested that he had been hit first.

"Where?" asked a Lion. "On the knee?"

There was another bit of byplay in 1990 when schoolboy Argentine prop Federico Mendez ironed out seasoned England lock Paul Ackford.

Quizzed about the incident, Ackford, now a rugby journo, said the first time he saw the punch was on television.

Fiery Welsh halfback Dave Bishop punched an opposing player in a 1985 club game.

He was charged with assault and spent a couple of weeks in the slammer.

After being banned for a year by the WRU he went to league.

Kevin Skinner's ringwork against the Boks in 1956 is legendary, and Gerard Cholley, one-time heavyweight boxing champ and prop in the 70s, was the most feared French puncher.

Those days have gone into legend, like the brawl Kevin Tamati and Greg Dowling had after being sent off in a league test in Brisbane.

But a repeat would certainly be a major drawcard for the next charity event.