It takes Bare Knees to play rugby

A couple of our players were curious about why they were not allowed to wear thin compression leggings under their shorts and sock at recent games in what us old farts call "rugby weather". Although I would be much happier if their curiosity about rugby laws extended to something like the Offsides Law [PDF file], I asked the Society of Texas Rugby Referees to clarify. Referee Mark Woods, the referee preventing the pajama wearing in at least one case, provided the following elucidating response:

"The FFR [Fédération Française de Rugby] recently asked for clarification from the iRB [International Rugby Board] on what the words, shorts, shirt, socks and underwear, meant in the laws of rugby. The iRB issued a clarification that informed the world that both shorts and underwear would stop above the knee. That means the long-leg underarmour gear that some players wish to wear is illegal. All players must have bare knees.

I guess if you`re too soft to have bare legs, the iRB thinks you`re too soft for rugby." [Emphasis and acronym disambiguation added]

I don't think the iRB has a bare knee fetish, though I wouldn't be surprised if there are some Otaku who are into that. So, suck it up, gents.

Now, who has a question about the Crimean War?