Denis Walsh: The ‘dark arts’ are slowly being legislated out of the game

In the build-up to Munster’s Champions Cup game on Saturday, Denis Leamy and Tadhg Beirne both mentioned the “dark arts” and their creeping demise under the rule of law. Leamy is a defence coach now, but he was a flanker in his playing days, so the destruction of nice things has been central to his mission in rugby.

“I think the dark arts have gone out of the game around the breakdown,” said Leamy. “Certainly, the team without possession is getting refereed.”