To think sport comes with an element of danger (Rugby)

[DadKeepsCalm1]

In the news today, a group of 70 doctors have written to the government to make rugby a non contact sport at high school.

Although a rougher sport, it really is not that dangerous with the proper equipment and professional supervision.

Also how are we supposed to find new talent, if people are not trained to play proper rugby.

My dss is 16 and plays rugby for his school and its by far my favourite sport. I love watching him play and it would be ashame if the game was spoiled.

[Mide7]

New Zealand junior rugby also has weight categories doesn't it?

[PandasRock]

I hate the thought of my ds starting rugby in a couple of years. He is a late summer baby, and distinctly average sized, so will be one of the smallest in the year.

At his school (a prep) , they start it young and the thought of a field full of over excited small boys flinging themselves at each other seems bonkers to me. Yes, the teachers are qualified coaches. But I have also seen the way the boys are indulged (mostly by parents but by teachers too) in their play fighting, with talk of 'boys will be boys'.

I am seriously considering asking whether ds can be withdrawn.

[GrouchyKiwi]

Yes, but not in all areas.

Weight grading in World Rugby

[PandasRock]

Oh, and before anyone says I'm overreacting, my dss played rugby all through school too. Starting at about 6 ish at his prep, then on through secondary.

He is 24 now, and looking at a lifetime of physio and rehab, due to various injuries picked up. He gets regular bouts of pain, can't sleep well, and it affects him pretty seriously. And he's 24. Not much fun really.

[UpWithPup]

If we stop contact rugby we should definitely get rid of sticks in hockey and do away with lacrosse altogether.

[Sidge]

I think rugby is a great game, but the potential for neck, spinal and head injuries in young men and boys (and girls of course) is significant, particularly from scrummage and tackling.

If there's a way to play competitively and properly without scrum and tackling for undeveloped children then I'm all for it.

[PirateSmile]

I don't think you are overreacting at all PandasRock That sounds very serious for your dss.

[Songofsixpence]

My DD plays contact rugby at high school. Neither DH or I were happy about the idea. The kids were given the chance to choose - contact or tag and they went with the majority.

My DH is a qualified coach, and he's pretty horrified by the standard of coaching at my DD's high school. The staff are not qualified rugby coaches and don't seem to have a clue, it's a nasty accident waiting to happen as far as DH is concerned

[theycallmemellojello]

I suppose the issue is - are kids in a position to properly assess the danger. With rugby the question is particularly acute as the danger is not only of immediate injury (which is easy to assess, so kids might be able to make a decision as to whether they want to risk it), but of long term brain injury and early onset dementia. I think that that kind of risk is likely to seem so unreal to teenagers that they're not really in a proper position to assess whether they want to take it on, even when it's properly explained to them by their coaches (hardly ever, I imagine).

Personally, I don't even agree that the risk of brain injury is one kids should be allowed to choose to take on. Of course, the older generation has happy memories of contact sports - but if we stop doing them then the younger generation won't miss them.

[GrouchyKiwi]

What training do coaches have to have? Seems like there are several layers to the issue.

[thedancingbear]

I find this a bit silly. I played rugby regularly throughout school and university and it has not affected my memory, attention span or any

[Rockytoptennessee]

They were talking about this on the radio just now. A rugby experty type guy said that only 14% of school PE teachers have a rugby qualification, so in a lot of cases they might not be being coached as well as they could be. He also brought up the point that in NZ children play by weight rather than age.

[Height]

I think rugby played/trained at a dedicated rugby club is a great sport for those who choose to play to go and take part in.

I think rugby as a compulsory school sport with coaches who aren't trained in rugby and has children who don't want to partake is a recipe for disaster.

After spending 3 days at our son's hospital bed as the CF (brain fluid) ran out of his nose, we chose a school that didn't play rugby!

[Primaryteach87]

Yabu - rugby has much higher risks than are normally acceptable and young people die every year due to poor concussion management. Although as a teacher, I think it's much more dangerous in rugby clubs with staff who are less concerned with welfare potentially than school supervised. So doesn't fully answer the problem.

[NickyEds]

I'm with the 70 doctors and health care professionals. Contact rugby should not be compulsory in schools. The risk of injury is too great, the injuries seem particularly severe, pe teachers are not specialist rugby coaches and non contact rugby is available, as are rugby clubs where you can chose to take your dc if you especially want them to do contact rugby. I'm not swayed by the obesity being a bigger killer or rugby being character building. There are plenty of other ways to combat obesity and build character and I don't see why contact specifically ie tackling and scrummaging is particularly helpful in that respect.

[Mide7]

Why do you think clubs are more dangerous Primary?

[PirateSmile]

I agree that teachers are far better qualified than rugby club coaches. I've seen some terrible things happen at club level. One boy badly hurt his head on the first day of a tour and was allowed to carry on playing for the rest of the tour.

[PirateSmile]

Teachers are often a lot more objective about the players than parent coaches who are living vicariously through their children and dreaming that they'll play for England/Wales/Scotland less experienced.

[WelshMoth]

My year 9 boys are built at polar opposites. I have real 'manly', thick set builds yet in the same social group I have boys who are small but still nowhere near puberty yet. The thought of them on the receiving end of a tackle makes me wince.

As much as I love rugby, the game that our DC see at regional and national level isn't the game that we watched as children. DH's best man was a Welsh cap and at his peak, he weighed 12 stone. This was in the 70's and very early 80's. Now, his Welsh counterpart is weighting in at 18 stone and he runs like a train. The hits are harder and the the packs are heavier. The game is different know and serious injuries are to be had. As much as I adore the game, I wouldn't want my sons (if I had any) playing contact rugby at school.

[WelshMoth]

..different now

[WelshMoth]

Pirate oh my gosh, I couldn't have unsaid it myself. I follow at local junior level and the parent coaches are the absolute worst. Out of 5 that I know, 2 are decent with great expertise. The other 3 are dangerous because of their utter disregard for safety and because their glory-hunger is enormous

[Primaryteach87]

Yes. There's more desire to win at all costs at some rugby clubs. I'm only speaking about my experiences, obviously. So limited sample size, but second what others have said.

[teeththief]

I'm dreading my DS having to do rugby when he starts secondary school in September. He's one of the smaller boys for his age and a lot of boys in his year are a foot taller and play rugby out of school. The thought of one of those boys being allowed to floor DS makes me feel sick. I think they should be allowed to choose which sports they want to do personally

[Mide7]

I can see what you're saying about teachers V coaches but on the other side, you'd expect coaches to be better at teaching the techniques. in my experience a lot of injuries are due to poor technique.

[FindoGask]

I remember this article from two years ago

www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/dec/13/death-of-a-schoolboy-ben-robinson-concussion-rugby-union

One of the most harrowing things I've ever read. Something about the powerlessness of his mum on the sidelines, knowing something was very wrong but unable to do anything about it.

I don't know whether contact rugby should be banned in schools but it is undoubtedly dangerous, and not just for head injuries. My friend D would be horrified by the suggestion it should be banned but he also sustained a pretty awful neck injury at 16 playing rugby for his school which ruled out any sports for him for the rest of his life.