Quote Originally Posted by millmoormagic View Post

Wrinkly has this spot on, the reason rugby players do as they're told by the ref is that ANY chat back gets a yellow, and coaches and players across the land appreciate what damage that can do to the cahnces of winning in a game. That respect started by te refs across every level in rugby giving a ten yard advantage for every word said, that should be introduced to football in my opinion, it would stop the back chat immediately.

Having said that, football refs tend to be egotistcal knob heads, so would turn it into a farce on many occasions, but worth a try nonetheless.
Absolutely not true. You have totally missed it. Its not penalisation that enforces good behaviour.

Good behaviour is ingrained from the very minute you walk into a rugby club as an 8 year old junior. From that moment you are taught respect for the game, its history and culture. Respect for opponents and officials.

Unlike football where we taught to think of officials as egotistical knob heads, and abuse officials and opponents.