>...
>>>>Baseball players do it too. And like I said, it doesn't make a big difference, but it does make a difference, and I guess any little bit of an edge helps. I think 'footy' players don't do it because they want to be as recognisable as possible when they are rolling around on the ground holding their privates.
>>>
>>>Don't you mean "nursing their poor shins that the opposing player has lightly stroked with the laces in his boots while they were passing"
>>>
>>>So why don't rugby players use them? You can't call them wusses, and they're defo not worried about their loks
>>
>>Well, for crying out loud, those guys don't even wear pads. How smart can they be?
>>
>>Here's me ducking and running.
>
>Hey, I agree - they're nuts. Anybody who thrusts his neck into a ruck, gets cauliflower ears, calloused eyebrow ridges, broken nose, lost teeth in the name of sport is twopence-ha'penny short of a shilling.

Well there you go. Now you know why they don't use eye-black under the eyes.

By the way, I just found this reference