Leeds Rhinos Chev Walker, 20, Ryan Bailey and Dwayne Barker, both 19, were caught on CCTV, along with Rochdale Hornet Paul Owen, 24, fighting outside a Leeds nightclub in July last year.

Adrian Waterman, prosecuting, said: "What you see on the video is a sustained period of violence in a relatively quiet city centre street late at night."

The judge, Paul Batty QC, remanded the four in custody after watching the video and hearing mitigation on their behalf.

He will sentence all four on Tuesday.

He said: "One thing which shines out loud and clear, and is the real serious aspect of it, is the putting in of the boot to people on the ground to the upper body"

He told the players: "This court views this very seriously. It was a level of violence of a significant degree, late at night, in this city.

"I think you must understand this court is considering custodial sentences of some length."

All four pleaded guilty to violent disorder at a previous hearing.

Leeds Crown Court heard how Barker suffered a broken jaw and was rendered unconscious in the fight.

The court heard how the brawl began after Owen was "tricked" into handing over his mobile phone to an unidentified woman outside the Creation nightclub.

As he tried to recover it, the Leeds players thought she was being assaulted and set about Owen.

The players bowed their heads in the dock as the case was outlined.

A four minute video of the brawl was played which showed the Leeds players trading kicks and blows with Owen.

At one point Owen is seen to punch Barker to the ground and as he struggles to regain his feet is kicked in the head and knocked out.

The chief executive of Leeds Rhinos, Gary Hetherington, along with head coach Daryl Powell and club chaplain Steve Mitchell, all appeared at court to provide character references.

Ray Taylor, the chairman of Rochdale Hornets, appeared on behalf of Owen.

In mitigation David Bradshaw said Walker, of Amberton Road, Gipton, Leeds, was an England international and established first team player.

He said his client was full of remorse and his actions were totally out of character.

Jonathan Carroll for Owen, of Easterly Road, Harehills, Leeds, said his client did not go looking for a fight and had suffered a "momentary loss of temper".

David Hall for Bailey, of Borrowdale Crescent, Armley, Leeds said his client "shuddered with shame" every time he watched the video of the fight.

He said Bailey, who has a previous conviction for criminal damage, was not present for a large part of the violence and played a minor role.

Simon Hickey said Barker, of Highland Grove, Belle Isle, Leeds, was the only one to suffer a serious injury which sidelined him for 10 weeks and hit him financially.

He was described as having a minor role in the disorder.

All the players were described as role models who did a lot of work in local schools and the community.

Both Bailey and Walker have been selected to play for Great Britain later this year.