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?

I'm with you OP.
I'm dreading it.
DS is 3 and goes to rugbytots which is fantastic.
H lives for rugby and there is no doubt DS will have to play it.
I am hoping tennis will prove to be DS's favourite!!!

I'd feel like you Quattro but I would bite my tongue. I'm hoping to interest him in sailing instead :o

YABU if you tell him to stop, but NU worrying.

Dh plays, despite his ancient years and I love and hate watching him in equal measure. It's a fantastic game that I didn't discover until I met dh - am a football girl at heart. The social side is good too, best out of all the sports I've had anything to do with.

Ds1 plays rugby, ds2 football and ds2 has many more injuries, plus there is much more swearing, aggression (player to player)and more chance of being hurt through dirty play (dirty as in fouling, not mud ) The discipline is great in rugby.

Dh has had some pretty bad injuries and several ops, one serious, through rugby. But then most of the men i know have some form of sporting injury from a variety of sports (squash and tennis injuries are pretty common)

Who said sport was good for you eh? Quality street anyone?

DH played to quite a high standard in Wales when he was younger he had various injuries - at his last comeback he broke his nose and had to have it re-set (it's straighter than ever now). He doesn't have cauliflower ears but doesn't have the top fold bit of either ear either. His mother never once went to watch a match.

DH now says he doesn't want DS to play as it is too dangerous (DS is only 2 so a little early to be worrying about it yet). I'm a bit on the fence as if he showed a passion for anything I wouldn't want to stop him - probably DH would change his mind then too. Actually I think he'd make a good rugby player as he'd never give the ball to anyone else!

Why do some Rugby fans feel the need to denegrate football in the praise of their own game?
You get similar from some football fans but not nearly to the same extent as you get from rugby fans.
I played both for years, now I only play and coach football seriously, and can accept that both games are fantastic for those who play them but that they also both have serious enough problems that neither should really be chucking stones considering the fragility of their respective glass houses?

I know. Luckily I reserve all my hatred for GAA. And due to my curse of coming from a posh area and going to a posh school but being miles better at football I grew up playing soccer every hour god sent me and occassionally turning out for the house team in rugby for the craic and to get drunk after.
Still love both and I go to way more rugby matches than I do football (much handier for tickets,better class of opponent in internationals and much more atmosphere) but football is and always will be far and away my favourite sport, I still manage to play 3/4 times a week.
Just hate the attitude of a significant minority of rugby fans who feel the need to put down soccer to build it up. Although I suppose that's part of the insecurity that goes with playing a minority sport.

YABU but I guess I can see where you're coming from.

The harsh truth is that if he loves the game and carries on playing through his teens and beyond then he probably will get injuries. Sorry.

But he'll get a whole lot more. He'll learn about being in a team. He'll learn about respecting officials (something he would be unlikely to learn in football). He'll make friends, he'll stay healthy, he'll learn respect for the opposition, he'll learn to pick his fights wisely, he'll be less inclined towards computer games, the list goes on.

Oh, and if/when he does get hurt then he'll see it as a badge of honour. In a few years he will be using injuries as a means of impressing girls. If he isn't already.

Football is more likely to produce a serious injury btw, and whilst cricket may seem nicer, imagine watching your DS having to face up to someone throwing a small, hard, heavy ball at him from 22 yards, often with the explicit intention of causing him pain.

Bottom line is that sport is absolutely bloody brilliant for the kids that enjoy it. They will get hurt at times but the benefits far outweigh the risks.

Just don't go to watch!

Should add that I've played football, rugby and cricket competitively almost all my life (stopped the rugby 5 years ago) and the worst injuries I've had have been broken toes (all football), broken ribs (all football), broken fingers (football and cricket) and minor cruciate problems (er... tennis). The worst I've had from rugby was a couple of concussions.

Love all of these sports pretty much equally by the way (but my real soft spot is for cricket).

pag, several people are requesting you over here
here

opps i cocked that up
here

ds2 plays and love sit to point he now plays in school team.

He often plays as a winger as he is not your classic rugby build but he can run pretty fast but he is not afraid to tackle either

okay okay. IABU

But I am not going to watch the bits where he gets piled on.

It's heartening to hear all the love stories about rugby though, thank you

QC, oh I feel your pain! Currently pregnant with DS. DH (Welsh) was desperate for a son as rugby is THE thing that he is really looking forward to sharing with him. I will be biting my lip and faking it but saying nothing!

I think my son might well be Welsh

He sings and he plays rugby

He must be Welsh, mustn't he?

Depends how well he does them Quattro

Rugby is a very physical sport, and yes you can get injured. When I trained as a coach I came away with a black eye and 27 other assorted bruises.

I coach U7's and have to send lads off for tackling every time we have a match. I refuse to go above U8's though as contact scares the shit out of me. No way on earth I am going to referee that!

And staying with the U8's means I won't have to worry about seeing DS take a pummelling when he gets to contact :o

MajorQuimby I emphatically agree (re "no need to knock another sport" - that was an arse of a post from bruxeur)

YANBU.

I know it doesn't happen often, but it does happen. we know a family who's eldest boy was the hooker, and is now paralysed from the neck down.

It's a stupid dangerous game.

YABU to actually try to stop him. DS is 4 (5 in April) and can't wait to start rugby training.

I'm looking forward to watching play number 8 for england.

sorry..should have added 'in my opinion'

just trying to quantify it

and here

Suppose you need to make a judgement call about the extent of this risk

YANBU

[hoping DS will end up keen cricket player]

HMC, I know that link was meant to be reassuring, but I did happen to note that there were 2 adverts for compensation through accidents arising playing rugby

No, I have to MTFU (thanks for teaching me that acronym) and NOT WORRY

Feel for you. Our DS is 16 now. Plays prop too. Have never watched - would not watch -