What I've found is that usually the martial artists that think that it's not important are not that good in sparring! or they have a really difficult time with free-style techniques.
Coincidence? Maybe, but the opposite is also true, the ones that are good, also believe that it's important.
Depends... I'm not at good point/sport sparring. I'm not. Never have been, never will. I will get tagged to death in a points match. No two ways about it.
However... I do believe in throwing a properly timed, executed & force inclusive technique. So I will take (not you specifically) your head & move it to your hips the first chance I get to drop a sao choy on you. Funny thing is... all my kung fu brothers think the same.
When we used to spar (everybody's gone their own way now), it was a brief clash of two people intent on knocking the other down or out... whichever came first... resetting & continuing. On more ocassions than I can count, we would leave bloody, bruised, roadrashed and unfortunately more than once, on the way to the ER.
However, we also learned really quickly about what does/doesn't work & the "respect for nature" in that environment. We also learned who would (not) and could (not) take shots.