Big Hits Taking Toll

[rowan]

Will Greenwood:

Players are getting faster as well as much bigger. The forces with which they collide with one another almost measure on the Richter scale.

Something has to give. I am just thankful I played when I did. This week's launch of the Six Nations was like an episode of Casualty, with all the different injuries being discussed.

England alone have 18 in the sick bay, with Jack Nowell, Henry Slade and Kyle Sinckler the latest to be ruled out of next weekend's opener against Italy. Chris Robshaw and Mike Brown are also doubts.

There is a real worry that we have reached the point where the Six Nations could actually be decided by injuries rather than form. I do not think we are quite at that stage yet.

Full story here: https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opi ... app-iPhone

[morepork]

Why don't you join in one of the discussions about this on the English, Scottish, or Welsh boards? Do you really need thousands of posts on multiple threads? Is not the point of forums the interaction with other posters? Very odd.

[rowan]

Why don't you join in one of the discussions about this on the English, Scottish, or Welsh boards? Do you really need thousands of posts on multiple threads? Is not the point of forums the interaction with other posters? Very odd.

Well, yes, I deliberated on this very point for some hours, riddled with apprehension that I might inadvertently post the news on the wrong thread and thus bring the Wrath of the Mods crashing down upon me. Finding no common thread for British rugby, and unable to choose one above the other, I was torn by indecision and eventually opted for the most neutral rugby thread available.

[rowan]

So how long till they go to helmets and shoulder padding, I wonder.

[Which Tyler]

So how long till they go to helmets and shoulder padding, I wonder.

Rugby already has shoulder pads, they're just small and relatively soft.
Why we get helmets that are proven to make things worse?

[rowan]

So how long till they go to helmets and shoulder padding, I wonder.

Rugby already has shoulder pads, they're just small and relatively soft.
Why we get helmets that are proven to make things worse?

Not if we're talking about the Vicis Zero 1 anti-concussion helmet-of-the-future, Tyler. This new design will not only greatly reduce the prospects of concussion but include impact sensors to monitor degees of trauma. Meanwhile, reducing the number of players to 14 or 13 woul create more space on the pitch and return the emphasis to speed and agility rather than brawn and power.

[morepork]

So how long till they go to helmets and shoulder padding, I wonder.

Rugby already has shoulder pads, they're just small and relatively soft.
Why we get helmets that are proven to make things worse?

Not if we're talking about the Vicis Zero 1 anti-concussion helmet-of-the-future, Tyler. This new design will not only greatly reduce the prospects of concussion but include impact sensors to monitor degees of trauma. Meanwhile, reducing the number of players to 14 or 13 woul create more space on the pitch and return the emphasis to speed and agility rather than brawn and power.

"The scientists, neurosurgeons and engineers who designed the helmet make clear that it won't prevent concussions. "

You can measure the fuck out of it, but if it doesn't prevent, then.....

[rowan]

Rugby already has shoulder pads, they're just small and relatively soft.
Why we get helmets that are proven to make things worse?

Not if we're talking about the Vicis Zero 1 anti-concussion helmet-of-the-future, Tyler. This new design will not only greatly reduce the prospects of concussion but include impact sensors to monitor degees of trauma. Meanwhile, reducing the number of players to 14 or 13 woul create more space on the pitch and return the emphasis to speed and agility rather than brawn and power.

"The scientists, neurosurgeons and engineers who designed the helmet make clear that it won't prevent concussions. "

You can measure the fuck out of it, but if it doesn't prevent, then.....

Yes, reduce and prevent are not the same thing. Going without a helmet won't prevent concussions either, but it does tend to discourage players from tackling with their heads first rather than their shoulders. Apparently these helmets are also going to feature frontal and rear cams, so that the player's own view can be used in TV replays, while intelligent visors will allow players to view data between plays on oppoing lineups and upcoming plays and the huddle will no longer be necessary. In rugby this could eliminate the need for cryptic lineout calls which have always presented a challenge to the front row brigade

[Sandydragon]

So how long till they go to helmets and shoulder padding, I wonder.

The ones we have currently make the situation worse in my opinion, they encourage players to think they are invulnerable when they are a long way off what American Football players wear.

I'd ban protective gear and I'd ban tactical substitutions. There also needs to be a maximum number of games per season for players - squaring that with the need to get money into the game will be difficult, but the game can't go on like this.

[rowan]

I'd bring tackling down to elbow/midriff level. I never tackled a player chest high in my life, especially not from the frontal position, and in my day you didn't see players doing that in provincial games or test matches either. The crowd-pleasers were the ones who tackled around the ankles & stopped a player in his tracks. Now we've got these 110kg flankers gleefully slamming into 80kg flyhalves the moment they release the ball (and are unable to defend themselves with their arms) which is a recipe for disaster. Being driven straight back onto the turf is where head trauma can occur, and there's usually a clumsy arm in the vicinity for good measure. Those kind of tackles may be crowd-pleasing, but there's nothing brave or macho about them. If you're going to go that way, you need to look at protective padding. If you're not, then you definitely need to tweak the rules to avoid such scenarios.

[morepork]

"I never tackled a player chest high in my life, especially not from the frontal position, and in my day you didn't see players doing that in provincial games or test matches either"

What planet were you living on?

[rowan]

"I never tackled a player chest high in my life, especially not from the frontal position, and in my day you didn't see players doing that in provincial games or test matches either"

What planet were you living on?

One where people didn't think making moronic comments was clever, that's for sure. & also one where players were taught to tackle around the waist or legs. That's not to say higher tackles didn't go in, but usually involving forwards wrestling each other down at close range. A chest-high collision in those days was very rare, and it certainly wasn't something coaches advocated.

[rowan]

Springboks taught the Kiwis a thing or two about tackling in this game - and that's why they won:

[morepork]

"I never tackled a player chest high in my life, especially not from the frontal position, and in my day you didn't see players doing that in provincial games or test matches either"

What planet were you living on?

One where people didn't think making moronic comments was clever, that's for sure. & also one where players were taught to tackle around the waist or legs. That's not to say higher tackles didn't go in, but usually involving forwards wrestling each other down at close range. A chest-high collion in those days was very rare, and it certainly wasn't something coaches advocated.

Moronic. That never gets old. Did no one pass the ball in contact on Planet Rowan then?

[rowan]

Springboks taught the Kiwis a thing or two about tackling in this game - and that's why they won:

Still one of my favourite games ever

[rowan]

Not sure I'd go quite this far . . .



https://www.ruck.co.uk/facebook-page-ca ... anned-usa/

[Sandydragon]

Based on the game of football that was invented in America.

That comment tells you al you need to know about the utter moron behind that site.

[rowan]

Hmmm, perhaps I should have put this on the Random Funny Images thread, so folks would know it's only for fun

[rowan]

Report in French suggesting rugby is becoming too dangerous, after the death of former French under-19 international Louis Fajfrowski as the result of a heavy tackle during Aurillac's match against Rodez earlier this month, drawing comparisons to American football and suggesting it might be banned if it doesn't change direction in the near future. http://www.rfi.fr/sports/20180815-le-ru ... eux-danger

Another report, in English: Calls for rugby tackle rules to be reviewed after French player dies in dressing room after friendly https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/int ... endly?rm=m

Unfortunately television images of dynamic hits in the modern professional game, repeated ad infinitum on social media (there are at least a couple of web sites devoted to this) may be encouraging the same kind of behavior at other levels where players are not physically equipped for it:

[paddy no 11]

Going to have a good whinge here for myself

Had pain fatigue in shoulder/arm for few years

MRI -torn labrum tendon posterior and anterior - chipped bone and loads of cartilage damage

Doctor reckons i dislocated shoulder backwards years age (15 i reckon) and started damage then and it just deteriorated

Surgery in January, recovery has been tough - managed 3 press ups at physio last week, hopefully all be well in another 2 months

Note to all youngsters get injuries fixed properly at the time, should have been 3 months coming back not 9 (ribs are bollixed too but physio is doing a decent job of sorting that too)

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Going to have a good whinge here for myself

Had pain fatigue in shoulder/arm for few years

MRI -torn labrum tendon posterior and anterior - chipped bone and loads of cartilage damage

Doctor reckons i dislocated shoulder backwards years age (15 i reckon) and started damage then and it just deteriorated

Surgery in January, recovery has been tough - managed 3 press ups at physio last week, hopefully all be well in another 2 months

Note to all youngsters get injuries fixed properly at the time, should have been 3 months coming back not 9 (ribs are bollixed too but physio is doing a decent job of sorting that too)

I feel your pain Paddy, 1 wrecked ankle, 2 dodgy knees, hips giving me shit, vertebrae in back and neck not quite right, shoulders with as much flexibility as a brick too many head knocks, several missing teeth, wonky ears. Apart from that Im a picture of health...

[morepork]

Going to have a good whinge here for myself

Had pain fatigue in shoulder/arm for few years

MRI -torn labrum tendon posterior and anterior - chipped bone and loads of cartilage damage

Doctor reckons i dislocated shoulder backwards years age (15 i reckon) and started damage then and it just deteriorated

Surgery in January, recovery has been tough - managed 3 press ups at physio last week, hopefully all be well in another 2 months

Note to all youngsters get injuries fixed properly at the time, should have been 3 months coming back not 9 (ribs are bollixed too but physio is doing a decent job of sorting that too)

I feel your pain Paddy, 1 wrecked ankle, 2 dodgy knees, hips giving me shit, vertebrae in back and neck not quite right, shoulders with as much flexibility as a brick too many head knocks, several missing teeth, wonky ears. Apart from that Im a picture of health...

Dad?