Ooh Teribus! You're so clever, and yes you would say that wouldn't you :-) !! I still reckon that the players of a game involving constant bone-crunching tackling and non-stop running of the ball have to be tougher and fitter all-round that the players of a game based on hunting in a pack and lying on top of one another doing nothing for interminable periods.

Having said all that, I enjoy watching both codes (watching's all I'm fit for now), but for different reasons.

And to answer the original question, I still reckon they're both tougher than the players of the watered-down American game!

Pax vobiscum frater! (Go on, tell me my Latin's crap!) :-)
SJ