There's a bit of rose tinting here - even pre SL you could well end up playing the same team several times per season: twice in the league, Challenge Cup, John Player/Regal Trophy and County Cup (Lancashire/Yorkshire), Premiership play-offs, Floodlit Trophy, etc.
i recognise that drawing a team in a knockout is slightly different than a predetermined "loop" fixture, but given the relatively small pool of teams, together with more knockout cups, repetition did happen in the past.