Enough said about 'bloody' rugby.

IT'S finally back but this time sporting a different look.

A bad aftertaste has spilled over into the new Guinness Premiership season leaving pundits and, more often than not, the press, all with something to say before a ball has even been kicked.

The ‘bloodgate scandal’ at Harlequins, allegations over drug taking at Bath, and not forgetting the eye gouging incident in the Lions tour of South Africa will have rugby licking its wounds for some time to come.

An overwhelming fear is that the professional era will now see many more do whatever it takes to win, even to the point of putting club, country and the game itself in disrepute.

The fine line between gamesmanship and the noble sportsman is being pushed to its limits and the latter will regrettably suffer as a consequence.

And fans alike have grumbled a few words of disgust, most recently on the Twickenham terraces in the season’s London double header – an event prided on a history of morality where bloodshed was contained only to the field and plaudits looked on only in admiration from the stands.

Although most may have had their giggle over the summer events at The Stoop – which resulted in the resignation of Dean Richards at its helm last month – sparse words have still crept into the banter between clans, as those sporting a Harlequin on their chest at Twickenham were immediately branded ‘cheats’ by fellow rugby supporters.

Nowhere in the game is this acceptable, on or off the field of play.

The press has been filled with scrutiny and shame over the ‘bloodgate’ fiasco, but, unless fans are motivated to familiarise themselves with their football counterparts, the politics behind the doors of the RFU shouldn’t overshadow rugby as a symbol of selflessness and sportsmanship which it has promoted for many years before now.

Instead of writing what was witnessed on the day, headlines have revealed the ‘real’ bloodshed inflicted on Wasps’ Joe Simpson, and how Quins’ perpetrator George Robson was subsequently shown red by referee Dean Richards (no relation), undoubtedly the same claret found in a blood capsule concealed in Tom Williams’ sock several months before.

No story of Varndell’s double score or the battle of the flyhalfs, new and old, to steal the games for both Wasps and Saracens.

Saracens’ Glen Jackson continued where he left off last season with an impeccable man of the match display, highlighting the mistakes of a nervy Irish debutant in Ryan Lamb who, in contradictory fashion, missed the target on more than the odd occasion.

Danny Cipriani will want to prove his worth in the hope that he will be returning to Twickenham this autumn, and started well against a wobbly Nick Evans lacking the composure of boot he produced in his last Twickenham outing for Quins.

The rolling maul once again graced the Premiership stage, a strategy missed in last season’s experimental law variations. Fourteen man Quins suffered a penalty try awarded for the collapsing of the Wasps maul meters before an inevitable score to seal the game.

Tries from Ugo Monye and wing Gonzalo Camacho kept a surprising lead for Quins but two debut tries from Wasps’ Tom Varndell in the first half and 11 points from Mark Van Gisbergen overall was enough to restore the club to winning ways 26 points to 15.

Saracens held on for an 18-14 win over London Irish, which began a day that saw two of last season’s playoff sides toppled at the first hurdle.

Rugby is back, still as entertaining as ever, but shouldn’t be stained by its demographic. What it isn’t is the ‘bloodbath’ some will want to believe.

Unfortunately for those true to the sport, this view may take some time to amend.