A game for real men

Just before I left school, way back in the mist of time, the school introduced Rugby League. That sort of made sense because it was a solid northern, traditional game and the school had stopped boxing. In other words, they transferred the violence from indoors to out.
However, having been brought up on a diet of this strange televised blood mud sport I sort of lost interest. This changed somewhat when I learnt that my closest friend in France used to play treize for Leeds as a young man. He was/is an all round good guy so I came out in sympathy.
Anyway, the Super League Grand Final (Leeds v Warrington) was played at the weekend and out of sheer boredom I watched it.
Than god I did. What a match. It was very fast, end to end football of the highest quality and very, very exciting. The modern Rugby League player is very fit, far fitter than 'regular' footballers, and if this report is to be believed (no reason why not) it's a game played by real men.