Revolutionary plans for another Sport

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Yes for those who have missed it experts today started a campaign to make Rugby a non contact sport, Apparently playing Rugby can cause injury, this includes strains, broken bones, cuts bruising, concussion even death  One marvels at the fact that a sport which has been part of the sporting fabric for nearly two centuries has become the latest target for the do good brigade. Is it just a matter of time before someone suggests that learning to swim could cause death by drowning or that organisers of National Hunt racing will be forced to remove the fences. 

[cee-dee]

Yes it's a rough game but many pursuits carry some risk.

We played Rugby when I was at school and the only time I played for the school was against Adams Grammar School. Their teams were always comprised of lads one year older than ours and we rarely won against them. All I wanted to do in that game was survive unscathed and yes, we lost (again).

Which (now) famous lad went to Adams Grammar School?

[artful_dodgings]

Oh are these 'experts' from the Heath & Safety Brigade again ? *groaaaaan*

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Would that be the late John Inman? 

Same for me at my old school where games took place on frozen pitches with the muddy parts looking like an artexed ceiling. Plenty of sloans linament warmed ones legs for the challenge and the shower turned red at the end of a game.

Arty it was led by a medical professional but yes Elf and Safety will doubtless jump on board demanding risk assessments as a guaranteed way of killing anything off because someone will be liable.

[evoman3957]

MP's would never pass a law banning contact rugby in schools, they're WELL ARD..........especially in a Dress.

[suzieseaside]

Which position did you play, Archie? 

[upthecreekyetagain]

I am a keen supporter of Rugby, both Union & League.  My grammar school didn't play football so in the winter the choice was either crosscountry or rugby.  I think it would be a shame if tackling was removed from the junior game.

Having said that I think there is a real argument for the compulsory use of protective headgear and 'uncontested' scrums.

[al**bear]

Everything was OK until an Eton bully, started flattening Kids

[evoman3957]

A Specialist Doctor on TV yesterday, said protective headgear made the problem worse; I assume he knows what he's talking about, even if I'm still trying to work that one out ??

[cee-dee]

Perhaps he meant the headgear "saved" the head but made the possibility of a neck injury worse?

Anyway, it is Jeremy Corbyn who went to Adams GS.

[evoman3957]

Don't tell me...........he was the " Boot Boy " for the first team.

[mustard-tree]

Isn`t rugby similar to American football?

If so, look what the Americans have done to their players.

They are all togged up with hard hats, face shields and so well padded, they look like michelin men.

[evoman3957]

American Football is somewhat unique in its format, which makes " Contact " heavier and more frequent by design.  The intention is to deliberately play the man and NOT the ball, even if the man being " taken out " doesn't even have the ball.  If you notice at " kick offs, " the front line " of the team in possession is deliberately charged by the front line of the opposing team; who have the sole intention of taking out the player in possession of the ball.  His team mates intention is to " Block " all opposing players, in their attempt to get at the player with the ball. So, these tactics would incur several infringements in English / UK Rugby from obstruction to dangerous tackling........never mind forward passing.......which is actually part of the US game.

[******lynda******]

My middle son played rugby for a local club as a 'mini' starting with 2 years as an 'under 8' and going on until he was 13.  I used to feel the coach and refs were not hard enough on the high tackle. Maybe if they had explained why there is a high tackle rule, and taken action against it more often, the boys might have taken it more seriously. 

Apart from that, if the boys weren't going for each other on the pitch, they were probably fighting in the playground, as boys do. They were probably generally in less danger with the supervised contact sports than the unsupervised battles.

[suzieseaside]

I expect that the long ongoing debate about whether boxing should be banned or not, will rumble on.  In that sport where the main aim is to punch someone in the head it was found that wearing headgear was more dangerous (for causing concussion and brain damage) than having no head protection. 

[no protection from headgear when head turns sideways rapidly - brain rebounds of inside of skull; restricted peripheral vision -don't see the blow coming; difficult for the ref to see the boxer's face and eyes to spot signs of head injury;  and perceived safety - boxers take more risks if wearing headguards and will also hit harder]

I'm not a fan of boxing, but some people have to fight I suppose.

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Horseriding is a relatively dangerous sport.  I think everyone should wear layers of sponge and bubblewrap

[******lynda******]

Mine broke his leg on a tree swing, had staples to hold his head together after falling against a steel stanchion and countless bashes and cuts

Are they going to end up banning all sports that are not played using a computer game?

[suzieseaside]

Perhaps they will start worrying about the cost of some sports to the NHS and insist anyone doing anything dangerous must have private health insurance!

Better add recreational binge-drinking to that too.

[upthecreekyetagain]

As far as I'm aware the call isn't for rugby to be banned in schools but to take steps to ensure that those playing the game are less likely to be injured.

Rugby is a dangerous game - despite what many say - an indication of this can be demonstrated quite easily by trying to name a professional rugby player that has never been injured.

A major concern in school rugby, especially during competitive matches, is the additional risk the players face due to the 'amateur' nature of the officials who often have no coaching nor officiating qualifications or training.  Professional officials can recognise when a scrum, ruck or maul is becoming dangerous and stops play, despite this injuries still happen - amateur officials do not have the same skills and dangerous situations can go unnoticed.

In matches where at a minimum the referee has no officiating qualifications then I believe that scrums should be uncontested and protective headguards and shirts with shoulder protection should be compulsory.

Horse riding was mentioned earlier in the thread as a dangerous sport as indeed it is.  No responsible parent would allow their child to go horse riding without, as a minimum, a helmet, body protector and suitable arm and leg protection.  Horse riding is a sport where the objective is not to 'hurt' an opponent yet kids are sent out to participate in a sport where that is very much the objective wearing nothing more than a pair of shorts and a shirt!

[artful_dodgings]

SAFETY GOGGLES MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES.

Participants of Tiddlywinks must now wear protective eyewear. A recalcitrant flying counter could have someone's eye out.

H&S.

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The future of Curling questioned too. One of Scotland's national games is also under threat from the Health & Safety lobby, In a recent study they questioned the logic of having numerous competitors having to walk on ice, the requirement to canter while brushing the ice rapidly and the threat posed by the Granite Curling stone which has no emergency brakes, air bags or fail safes. A spokesman said that no stone would be left unturned in the bid to ban this dangerous sport once and for all.