Gentleman's game (Spieltage)

Lawrence, Donnerstag, 29.09.2016, 13:13 (vor 2786 Tagen) @ TicTac

“Football is a gentleman’s game played by ruffians, and rugby is a ruffian’s game played by gentlemen.” 
This old British saying cleverly contrasts football (or soccer) with rugby. “Ruffian” is an old-fashioned word meaning a tough, violent, possibly criminal person. The saying shows the irony of the fact that a rough and dangerous game like rugby was played by polite, well-educated “gentlemen”, while the much gentler and safer game of football was played by tough, lower-class men with a reputation for violence. Even today rugby players might seem to be very polite gentlemen when compared to many footballers, especially those seen swearing at referees and angrily abusing them when a decision goes against them. Some people might even say that this old British saying still applies today.