Rugby & injuries

[AVB]

There was an article on the BBC a few days ago about the number of injuries in professional rugby union.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41544641

 

However, I fear the problems is far wider than that. I watched my son play for the school (U14) yesterday and out of the three teams playing there were, at least, another 15 players on the sidelines who were not available through injury. Injuries ranging from broken bones, concussion and knee injuries. And this is at a level where scrums and lineouts are uncontested and the season is 6 weeks old.

 

I played rugby from the age of 11 through to 40 and yes got the odd injury but I can't recall such a shear volume of injury.

 

Any ideas on why? Professional rugby I can understand with the size of players nowadays but at schoolboy level? Just bad luck?

 

[welshwarrior]

Players are more protected now to try and prevent minor injuries becoming long term, where as we would have played on after a week or two off now they have inforced longer recovery times.

[Kalahari]

I agree with the above, to a certain degree, but the professional game has a lot to answer for, subtlety and skill come a long way behind crash ball and big collisions!

 

David.

 

PS, I spent 18 months on a board at 14 in 1964, both knees are shot and I have long term back trouble and a row of knots on my ribs after rib injuries, so the injuries happened then.

[button]

I love the game and yes the number of injuries is concerning but the simple answer for me is the sheer size and strength of the players, they are so strong. Been muscle bound comes with its own problems and remember a few years back watching Andrew Sheridan playing for Sale pop his shoulder and at the time he was rated as one of the strongest props in world rugby and as he was so muscle bound the muscles went into spasm and they could not pop it back in and he was out from memory about 6 weeks which on the face of it was for something that was not that serious

 

Watch Sonny Bill on you tube and the hits he makes it is surprising there are not more injuries!

[kyska]

And hence why my boys won't be playing rugby, might as well just kick wheat out of them in the garage then I don't need to stand in a wet field watching someone else do it.

 

Before you all start, I don't care.

 

I've already had the 'bit of a pussy are your lads then?' 'Makes them real men', 'ballet dancers then?' In the pub from moronic, arrogant fathers.

 

There is a safeguarding issue if young people, with developing bone structures and developing brains are getting concussions, broken limbs and ligament injuries that will haunt them for life

[Me matt]

May have been same volume of side line injuries when you were a nipper but it wasnt obvious/apparent at the time.

[pg123]

The change to the rucking laws this season is a major factor if you ask me. Players are unwilling to commit to the breakdown for fear of giving penalties. That means the ball is coming straight back into play making the game faster.

 

The more the ball is in open play the more tackles made so the amount of hits a player takes has increased. Plus the more the ball is in play the more the players work. People are going to contact while fatigued which is having an effect on injury numbers.

[button]

And hence why my boys won't be playing rugby, might as well just kick wheat out of them in the garage then I don't need to stand in a wet field watching someone else do it.

Before you all start, I don't care.

I've already had the 'bit of a pussy are your lads then?' 'Makes them real men', 'ballet dancers then?' In the pub from moronic, arrogant fathers.

There is a safeguarding issue if young people, with developing bone structures and developing brains are getting concussions, broken limbs and ligament injuries that will haunt them for life

As I say I love the game but I understand and respect what you say and understand your reasoning

[Mice!]

I think there have always been the same numbers of injuries its just that now a days with social media etc your just more aware of them.

 

I have played mostly rugby league but union also, the difference between packing down in the front row between the two codes is unbelievable so the fact that junior union is uncontested is a very good thing.

 

It could also be down to poor training or technique, if your in the wrong place and your mates cone in to finish the tackle chances are there going to stand on you.

 

Still playing masters rugby league at 41 😊😊

[AVB]

The change to the rucking laws this season is a major factor if you ask me. Players are unwilling to commit to the breakdown for fear of giving penalties. That means the ball is coming straight back into play making the game faster.

 

The more the ball is in open play the more tackles made so the amount of hits a player takes has increased. Plus the more the ball is in play the more the players work. People are going to contact while fatigued which is having an effect on injury numbers.

I think this could be one of the reasons. I dont think the average 13!year old boy is any bigger than they were when I was 13. One big difference I noticed was tackling. We were tought to tackle around the legs. We did loads and loads of practice where you would stand 5 meters apart from your partner where one one run and the other would tackle. Whereas I noticed yesterday that most of the tackles were a lot higher. Grapple type tackles around the chest.

[figgy]

Rugby players are a lot more fit and run and hit a lot harder than they did years ago. Rugby players of the past carried weight, more cushioning and drank like fish and fought more on the pitch. These days they look like they came out of the same cookie cutter all same shapes and ripped with muscle.

 

A local nhs and rugby club Phisyo was telling me the injuries pro players are suffering are the same as road traffic accident victims with internal bleeding and organ damage.

Edited October 15, 2017 by figgy

[Mice!]

The other thing with kids playing rugby is there probably playing football as well, club and school games so if there not tackling properly ie crash tackles lots more opportunities for head clashes and you don't fold your opponent up like you do round the legs, bad technique will always lead to injured players.

[AVB]

I think there have always been the same numbers of injuries its just that now a days with social media etc your just more aware of them.

 

I have played mostly rugby league but union also, the difference between packing down in the front row between the two codes is unbelievable so the fact that junior union is uncontested is a very good thing.

 

It could also be down to poor training or technique, if your in the wrong place and your mates cone in to finish the tackle chances are there going to stand on you.

 

Still playing masters rugby league at 41

 

 

Yes we have to progress and player safety is paramount but I hark back to the old days of scrummaging when both packs just thundered into each other. As a prop it was what I lived for (and the odd fight). I retired before the crouch, touch, bind, engage malarky. I look at Rugby League scrums and wince. They are just so wrong!

[Mice!]

Ha ha, rugby league scrums are pretty much just set pieces, try a few moves, get the ball moving with space to run.

 

I packed down three times at union, two props had gone off injured I was playing lock, I couldn't understand why the second rows didn't just move up? I went in to get the game going............ And nearly passed out two back to back after knock ons, then another and never again.

[leeds chimp]

Players are more protected now to try and prevent minor injuries becoming long term, where as we would have played on after a week or two off now they have inforced longer recovery times.

 

agree...more aware of things like concussion etc

And hence why my boys won't be playing rugby, might as well just kick wheat out of them in the garage then I don't need to stand in a wet field watching someone else do it.

 

Before you all start, I don't care.

 

I've already had the 'bit of a pussy are your lads then?' 'Makes them real men', 'ballet dancers then?' In the pub from moronic, arrogant fathers.

 

There is a safeguarding issue if young people, with developing bone structures and developing brains are getting concussions, broken limbs and ligament injuries that will haunt them for life

respect your decision but rugby is one of the only sports that teaches Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship

[Laird Lugton]

Can't wait for my 9 year old son to give it up.

[mick miller]

I quit playing for the local club at 16, broken noses, lost teeth, badly cut ears, broken wrists, arms, legs, ankles plus numerous concussions, sprains, dislocations happened back in 1986 too.

 

Discovering beer and girls around the same time, helped aid my decision. I can still completely flatten most of my own nose against my face, which has come in handy from time to time.

Edited October 16, 2017 by mick miller

[Benthejockey]

If you think rugby is bad keep him away from competitive horse riding! I had a soft fall yesterday and walked away and Im considering going for an X-ray after riding out this morning because I think Ive chipped or fractured my heel, I know Ive pulled the ligaments on the front of my foot! Were not talking trotting a hairy cob round the lanes this is fast and furious, flat out, motorbikes on 4 legs sort of competition. Any sort of competitive sport, contact or none contact is going to result in injury. Ive been very lucky in that Ive only had 1 serious injury in my whole competitive career and only a few serious injuries in nearly 30years of riding. The difference today is as someone else said injuries are picked up and treated earlier and players are now protected from themselves when in the past they would have walked off a broken neck or put a wet paper towel on a broken leg.

[welshwarrior]

Played rugby 7 -35 lost some teeth broke some fingers and misaligned my neck I used to play at a fairly high level including a couple of seasons for a South African club often twice or three times a week if I could on hard pitches. Now I had some concussions didn't stop playing I should of (my son will) I gave up serious rugby due to injury but not on the rugby pitch in fact on a rifle range I slipped on some ice a snapped my Achilles' tendon never to sprint again.

 

Yes sportsmen get injuries in contact sports you know the hit is coming you relax and take it more, but you can get hurt in normal live chill out and enjoy live play any sport that makes you happy.

 

I'm just doing my mini rugby coaching course to give back to a sport that gave me so much.

Edited October 16, 2017 by welshwarrior

[Cranfield]

May have been same volume of side line injuries when you were a nipper but it wasnt obvious/apparent at the time.

 

I think this is the main issue, apart from obvious things like broken bones.

I played rugby until I was 16 and then I had to choose and concentrated on football.

Problems I had from my mid 30's onward with my shoulders,neck and collar bone were all attributed to old major impact injuries, none of which I think I sustained playing football.

It is definitely a case, "I wish I knew then , what I know now".

 

Concussion injuries are the main problem IMO and there is plenty of debate at professional level in football and american football organisations.

[Esca]

The problem is that the lads play to much rugby each week.

 

As a club we try hard to play a game on average 1 week end in 3. This gives the body the chance to recover, not just from the knocks but the physical effort it takes to play. This is something the RFU is very proactive on with the introduction of a structured season and better training for coaches. However there is a problem with some schools. I have personal example as I coach u15 team on a Wednesday and Sunday. On Wednesdays training it became obviouse that some of the players where not putting there usual effort into it. I then discover on asking them why they are slow getting to the breakdowns, that they had had a game that afternoon and another on the Monday.

 

This is where the problem lies.Some Schools do not seem to follow a season structure. The result is that players are getting over played unintentionaly. As a club we put a lot of effort into ensuring that these young players are trained how to tackle, ruck, maul scrummage in a safe manner. We have strict policies for any player we suspect has had a blow to the head and always make sure that the parents are told to inform the school if we have suspected an injury. Unfortunatly this very rarely is resipricated by the schools.

 

On a side note I told stopped the intended session that Wednesday and changed it to a game of touch.

[Fatcatsplat]

 

 

Yes we have to progress and player safety is paramount but I hark back to the old days of scrummaging when both packs just thundered into each other. As a prop it was what I lived for (and the odd fight). I retired before the crouch, touch, bind, engage malarky. I look at Rugby League scrums and wince. They are just so wrong!

I do miss the days when the loose head called the scrum with a simple sit.....and hit, but there's no doubt that scrummaging these days is a lot safer and a lot less fun

[AVB]

The problem is that the lads play to much rugby each week.

 

As a club we try hard to play a game on average 1 week end in 3. This gives the body the chance to recover, not just from the knocks but the physical effort it takes to play. This is something the RFU is very proactive on with the introduction of a structured season and better training for coaches. However there is a problem with some schools. I have personal example as I coach u15 team on a Wednesday and Sunday. On Wednesdays training it became obviouse that some of the players where not putting there usual effort into it. I then discover on asking them why they are slow getting to the breakdowns, that they had had a game that afternoon and another on the Monday.

 

This is where the problem lies.Some Schools do not seem to follow a season structure. The result is that players are getting over played unintentionaly. As a club we put a lot of effort into ensuring that these young players are trained how to tackle, ruck, maul scrummage in a safe manner. We have strict policies for any player we suspect has had a blow to the head and always make sure that the parents are told to inform the school if we have suspected an injury. Unfortunatly this very rarely is resipricated by the schools.

 

On a side note I told stopped the intended session that Wednesday and changed it to a game of touch.

Very good point. The more you play the more likelihood of injury. When I was 13 I probably trained once a week and played one match per week

 

My son has three training sessions and two matches per week at school only. Some of his peers will also be playing club matches in addition.

 

And thats only to Christmas when Hockey takes over.

[Esca]

Very good point. The more you play the more likelihood of injury. When I was 13 I probably trained once a week and played one match per week

 

My son has three training sessions and two matches per week at school only. Some of his peers will also be playing club matches in addition.

 

And thats only to Christmas when Hockey takes over.

This is the problem. Rugby is a hard physical game. As a club we train twice a week with a game every 3rd week (in a perfect world) if we do have games on consecutive weekends(rarely). Only light training mid week (no contact). And no junior/youth player can play 2 days in a row to play.

[Laird Lugton]

 

I think this is the main issue, apart from obvious things like broken bones.

I played rugby until I was 16 and then I had to choose and concentrated on football.

Problems I had from my mid 30's onward with my shoulders,neck and collar bone were all attributed to old major impact injuries, none of which I think I sustained playing football.

It is definitely a case, "I wish I knew then , what I know now".

 

Concussion injuries are the main problem IMO and there is plenty of debate at professional level in football and american football organisations.

 

 

This cracks me up. I stand on the sidelines with other dad's who played rugby well into their thirties and they all tell me their joints are all knackered and here's me who has never done a proper days sport in my life and everything works perfectly (I've taken up mountain biking in my 40's but it's only high impact if you fall off ). However knowing what they do I am amazed they let their children play.

 

There are other sports which have less chance of injuries, encourage teamwork, discipline and camaraderie such as rowing etc. My concern is that in Scotland players play in an age group rather than by weight. One team turned up for a match and when the coach saw the size of the opposing team he refused to let his team play. A wise move. A friend who played for the first team at school, was about 17 stone at his peak and was constantly injured is very happy both his kids refuse to play rugby

Edited October 16, 2017 by Laird Lugton