In rugby, if an opponent throws a punch at you...?

Generally you'll be carded as well. I put an example in the sources section.

Cudmore(yellow jersey) received a red card for continuing to punch another player off camera. Paul O' Connell (red Jersey) receives a yellow. Had Cudmore not hit another Munster player, they would both have gotten the same.

I don't agree with it, if someone starts it you should be allowed to finish it without consequences as long as you don't go overboard. Main thing is to always hit back though. ;)

The second punch happens at around 0:45 when the camera is on O' Connell.

The old rule was the the attacker gets a yellow and the retaliator gets a red. That was taken out in 1999. What the IRB wasn't counting on was people assuming that because you could punch someone and if he hit you back, he got a stiffer penalty than you. So you'd have specific tar getting of the best opposition players who would get thrown out of the game if they retaliated.

Now what will happen is, if the game carries on and you're scrapping behind the play, a yellow card each. If its a big one that stops play, red cards each. If its just a punch each and you have a referee who's any good, he'll just warn you both and tell the captain to calm the teams down.

As per the second question, the exact thing happened to me when i first moved from New Zealand to Canada. My mate (the 9) got head butted by their seven, i stepped in and cracked him. The ref gave me and the seven red cards. I'm sure that if the ref wasn't the other teams coach, I would've got a yellow.

A true rugby player does not find a need to throw punches; it's basically a useless endeavor, and your side will soon find itself playing 14-on-15. Hopefully all of the 'punchers' will also find that their union bans them for the next match, at least, and that their coach has enough integrity to move them down to a lower side...they'll only be in the sin bin the next match anyways, so why think you can count on them?

A true rugby player is able to focus upon his own play 100% of the time. Any retaliation, or policing of quality of play that Sir misses, should be addressed in the hard wrap-tackle, the enthusiastic clean up around the edges of a ruck, and the victorious outcome.

Stop the ignorant bar fights, Lads, and play rugby! It's the best sport there is - do not ruin it! Cheers!

I love brawls.

However no you are not "really" allowed to hit back,but I do not know one person that doesn't .

Pitch brawls are free for alls

Remember hit as much players of the other teams as your can until your time is up and you get punched about however help usually come when you are on the ground.

A good rugby player though is a gentleman and will walk of the pitch in such a scenario

The Ref wil do you on both counts. Punching is overrated. You need to much room to throw them. Also, rugby players fight like monkeys and are funny to watch at the best of times (most don't land). Punch him when the scrum is settling or after the ball has left the lineout. If you are a back, don't do a thing. Its a well known fact that backs or latently gay.

In the first case, the first player to throw the punch will be penalised and punished. The punched player won't be penalised if in self defence.

In the second case, it isn't direct self-defence. The original agressor will get punished and so will you. Regardless of who knocked someone out first.

Retaliation is sometimes treated more serious than the original infringement. Refs take it upon themselves to be the ones that dish out punishment to those that throw punches so they also penalise those that try to undermine this authority. A return punch does this.

Your a rugby player, not a pu$$y, so don't ever be one, if u get punched, pound the sh*t out of that little B*tch!

usually the puncher would get a yellow card or if severe then the puncher will get a red card

laugh at him and in the next maul/ruck make him sorry that he was born.