AIBU to want the DCs to avoid rugby?

[Quattrocento]

Watched DS's rugby match today. He is 11 and he is something called a prop.

He caught a ball somewhere near the back of the pitch. He said it was the 22 (?).

Then he ran with it. Various big boys tackled him at several points. He woozled round them or ran through them.

Then just before the touchline, FIVE of them dived on him and brought him down.

I nearly had apoplexy. The potential for serious harm in this game is immense.

DS came back to me covered in mud and his eyes shining. 'Did you see my try?'

No, I didn't see your try DS. Because you were underneath a pile of flailing arms legs feet and boots (with studs).

This game is too dangerous. Isn't it? But it would break DS's heart and embarass him horribly if I make him stop.

So, AIBU to want him to give up rugby?

MTFU = Man The F*ck Up!!

Meant in jest...:-)

Not much.

CTPE has depowered the hit so much that with well-matched teams and a good ref, the danger is much less than it was.

As Pagwatch implied, skiing and riding are much riskier in terms of catastrophic injury.

Ah, okay. Thanks. I should do that. Obviously. It might be better if I never watch another of those games. Or it might be worse, actually.

Out of the pack must be better though, mustn't it?

Injuries can happen in any sport, my knee is a mess from an accident playing rounders (ok hitting my knee with the bat probably wasn't wise!) but the chances of him sustaining a serious injury are very slim if he is coached properly (and takes into account what he is coached to do!)

No, you're being very sensible.

Sadistic, violent, aggressive game - gave my son nightmares even thinking about it. Should be banned in my opinion.

How is rugby sadistic? Giant drama queen, much?

The pack is filled with the big grizzly types who lack din in the scrum.
once the ball gets passed out of the scrum to the guys wandering about they run freely and lass the ball in open play to try and score.

They tend to be a bit less scuffed at the end of the game.
They are numbers 10 ( fly half a la johnnie wilkinson) through to 15 ( full back a la demon armitage or, my fav, Josh lewsey. [faints] )
Ds 1 is scrum half inspire of being 6 ft . Only three concussions in six years.

"So you think a polite note expressing that I would prefer DS not to play rugby would be the action of a big girl's blouse?" - YUP

Out of the pack is less squishy but not so good if you are unable to outrun the oppo. Then it gets a bit crunchy.

YABTU, mine all love it (though DS1 is off long-term injured atm but i'll gloss over that)

Cars are far more dangerous - please don't move him out to be a back - he'll spend the whole game combing his hair 8 and under is where the action is.
scurryfunge - full tackling is from u9 age group up extra rule variants are introduced nearly each year from then on until they are seniors, though from u13s and up it is essentially as per adult game bar lifting in the line out and collapsing mauls.

Awesome typos. Never seen a forward lacking dinner myself, normally v keen on it!

backs tend to be prettier, forwards more in the way of the cauliflower ear department (assuming they have ears left after playing against Pontypool)

Probably loose-head, but I am open to correction on that. The front row consists of the hooker (who "hooks" the ball with his feet to pass it back to those behind him, the second row) and his two props, one on either side. When they are forming the scrum, their 3 heads meet with the three heads of the front row of the opposing team - they slot in together. You can do it with your three middle fingers on each hand. If you imagine that your second (index) and fourth (ring) fingers are the props, you will see that on each hand (ie each team) one of your prop fingers is surround by members of the other team, and the other is on the outside. The tight-head prop is the one that's held tight, and the loose head is the one that is loose on the outside.

No-one's allowed to collapse mauls any more*, thank fuck. That year was the only time I ever felt scared on the pitch.

*unless you're bloody Richie McCaw, of course - see also the McCaw Exceptions for the offside and off your feet laws...

Sorry, loads more posts since I started composing that one!

exactly Kew, they spend all game combing their hair and not getting muddy.

Thanks Loshad - I couldn't recall.

He's not fast really. Runs like a duck. Very solid though. Boys bounce off him. That sounds like he should stay in the pack. I've never seen him so passionate.

Bloody nightmare watching him being chased down and brought down like that

You can be rude about the backs...
Whe people say backs are poncey I point out 9 is the final forward. When they say the forwards are thick fat boys I point out 9 is the first back...

9 is Salacious Crumb to a pack of Hutts.

sitting on the fence nicely there pag

DD2 was a hooker - I really wanted a Tshirt I saw which said "my daughter is a hooker" but wasn't brave enough . It really unsettled the opposition (generally well brought up private schoolboys) to be faced with a grinning girl with plaits with a boy under each arm. Poor things couldn't bring themselves to go in hard (only for the first half of the game till they realised she wasn't holding back ).

I am very comfy thanks......

Ignore the injury worry (as much as you can) and enjoy watching him do something he is so passionate about.

As a life long rugby fan (proper rugby though, not union rubbish ;)) I think it is a fantastic sport to be involved with at any level. I spent a few seasons helping set up a local kids club and it was fantastic seeing all the children having so much fun whilst being active at the same time.