hard knocks

Dubois is a graduate of the literal school of hard knocks.

"Everyone loved her. I grew up with Tina Turner and she was a great woman to me, with a lot of sorrow too due to life's hard knocks but absolutely someone we could admire."

It took a lot of hard knocks to get through to him, and it was at one of his lowest points when he reconnected, somewhat drunkenly, with Ted.

But Ms Blessley says "it's not a museum piece" and has faced some hard knocks.

Australian rugby league in the early 1990s was an unforgiving school of hard knocks, tough men and scant sympathy.