A shoeing for lying on the wrong side of the ruck was part of the game when I played. More than a few times I’ve had deep welts on my back. The odd punch in retaliation for some naughtiness too.
Unacceptable in my book was swinging arm high tackles, genitailia, gouging.
I got banned for 6 weeks for repeatedly punching the opposition 6 when he gouged me for the 2nd time in the first 10 minutes. The ref apparently saw no evidence of apart from the fact he had his thumb in my eye socket whilst I was still punching him. Lets say the after match dinner was “interesting”.