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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to let my 7yr old play rugby?

25 replies

WoodlandElfly · 14/01/2019 18:56

My son has been desperate to join a rugby team for a long team, he is finally old enough to join the junior tag team, and has loved the first few sessions. However I have had quite a lot of criticism from other parents about allowing him to play. They do learn to tackle correctly and fall safely in practice, but in games they only play tag rugby. I think it is a great sport for him as long as they aren't tackling in games.

OP posts:

Readysteadygoat · 14/01/2019 19:09

I'm fairly sure DS1 played rugby at that age. It wouldn't have occurred to me to discourage him tbh. I'm sure the kids are well supervised.
DS stopped to play basketball and thank goodness, because Sunday mornings stood in freezing temperatures is not my idea of fun

secretmetoo · 14/01/2019 19:13

My DS has been playing tag rugby since he was 5 and will be on to tackling next year. Your friends are being ridiculous. It’s a great team sport and there’s so much comerardery, better than the drama llamas in football

CustardOmlet · 14/01/2019 19:15

My 6yr old has been part of a team since he was 4 (no tackling, just team games at that age). They are now learning how to play tag and DH is the coach!

mamaduckbone · 14/01/2019 19:15

At your ds’s age it is only tag, which is literally like a game of tag, so I’m not sure what the criticism is about really, not that it’s anyone else’s business.

Next year, if he is going into year 4, contact rugby starts which does involve tackling. It’s regulated and built up gradually though - my ds loves it.

CustardOmlet · 14/01/2019 19:16

Oh and no injuries worse than the occasional ball to face.

RobinHumphries · 14/01/2019 19:17

Please please please get him a mouth guard. Even with tag rugby they can collide and teeth get chipped. It doesn’t have to be expensive.

MamaLovesMango · 14/01/2019 19:18

My 5 year old plays rugby. Why on earth wouldn’t it be a good idea?! At that age it’s no different to football, netball, hockey or other team sports.

beela · 14/01/2019 19:21

weird. What is their criticism? That he might get injured?

Yanbu, and if you are then so are hundreds of other parents across the country (but you're not).

RosemarysBabyDress · 14/01/2019 19:23

My sons started when they were 5, why do you care what other parents say?

Do what YOU feel is right, but if you are ok with it and he's loving it, why on earth would you stop his lessons?

CleanHankie · 14/01/2019 19:26

Year 4 or 'Under 9's' is when tackling comes into games. However it's only if they have gum shields in and they get taught how to tackle safely. Funnily enough most of my daughter's team mates couldn't wait to tackle and now they can, they've gone shy and are holding back. You don't see kids slamming into each, it's as safe as it could be made.
You know your child. You know how it is.

StandardPoodle · 14/01/2019 19:28

My 2 DSs started rugby at 7 and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Great camerarderie, discipline and exercise.
I think it's great for your son to do.

RLABC · 14/01/2019 19:29

My 21 year old son was in the tag rugby team at primary school and loved it. He wasn't the most athletic of children but really enjoyed this sport. Let your child do it and don't worry about what others say.

Imalittleelf · 14/01/2019 19:30

Nope yanbu I intend for my dd to start rugby tots in the summer when she turns 2

beela · 14/01/2019 19:31

My 8yo loves it, it is genuinely the highlight of his week.

Firesuit · 14/01/2019 19:36

I think you only have to worry about rugby if there's a danger that he'll evolve into be a professional player as an adult. Which is extremely unlikely. (But also has some upsides to compensate for the dangers.)

Rugby is my favourite sport, but having seen the movie "Concussion" I understand why the sport has very recently become absolutely paranoid about head injuries and and every year they are tightening the rules to reduce the risk. This past weekend in European competition I saw penalties and yellow cards being awarded for high tackles that probably barely registered with those on the receiving end.

(It's not helping my case that you should let him play, but DW friend is married to a Neurosurgeon who has categorically said he will not allow their son to play.)

Jezzifishie · 14/01/2019 19:38

Absolutely fine! DD started a rugby group last year, when she was 3. As others said, it's just tag at this age.

Firesuit · 14/01/2019 19:41

For those who haven't seen it, "Concussion" is about the potential cumulative effects on the brain of playing American football at professional level for many years.

Rugby for school children isn't really the same risk!

Bunbunbunny · 14/01/2019 19:45

It’s a brilliant game, didn’t play till uni and I wished I had the opportunity when I was younger as it’s an amazing sport that allows a team to have a variety of skills.

Micke · 14/01/2019 19:46

They absolutely love it.

But.

DP and all his brothers played Rugby throughout childhood/teens, not past county level. Not one of them doesn't have a long-term injury resulting from it, and two of them have had operations (one back, one knee) to deal with those injuries.

We've both decided that our DSes won't be playing rugby.

Lindtnotlint · 14/01/2019 19:49

I wouldn’t. It’s not that tag is dangerous, it’s that you are potentially fuelling an interest and passion that inevitably leads on to real rugby. Which the science now seems to be showing can be really quite dangerous.

For me, there are other good sports.

WhoKnewBeefStew · 14/01/2019 19:49

Tag rugby is a brilliant game for kids. Exercise, team game, great fun, low impact (as it’s tag rugby rather than normal rugby), my dd, now 11, has played it for years and loved it. No injuries as of yet. Great sport

Bunnybigears · 14/01/2019 19:55

The club should not be teaching tackling until they are under 9s otherwise they are not insured for any injuries but other than that go for it. My 8 year old loves rugby.

gambaspilpil · 14/01/2019 19:56

All my boys have played rugby. My youngest is 4 and started in September and loves it. My 11yr plays for school and club and his older brother who is at uni still plays too. You don’t need a gum shield until they start contact. We are a big rugby family and all the men/boys play. My DD wasn’t interested. You get some very anxious mothers in particular that worry about injuries. I am trained in concussion training and all coaches are properly trained. It’s not a sport for the anxious as once they start contact it is hard going. My eldest has had some serious rugby injuries but still plays and his closest friends remain his rugby mates! So you won’t get any negatives from me.... great sport that instils team work, respect, sportsmanship, enjoyment and discipline!

gambaspilpil · 14/01/2019 20:27

And I should add before the brigade appearabkut injuries etc. I have a long term back complaint from doing gymnastics. My DD has broken both wrists playing netball, high jump was banned in one of our local school as DC broke their neck 20yrs ago, DC locally have broken limbs playing football.... so should we ban all sports due to the risk of injury?

OnlyaMan · 14/01/2019 21:54

"Tag" rugby, or as it was called in my day "Touch Rugby", is as safe as any contact support, like football.
Proper rugby, as pursued in early/late teens, is actually a bit dangerous. Start worrying when that happens.

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