rugby

[brizzlemint]

DS has been asked to join the school rugby team but he's never played for a rugby club unlike everybody else on the team.

Is there anything I should know apart from be prepared to spend a lot of time at A&E?

Get a mouth guard.
Clubs are very proactive in applying the rules which are all really based around safety. I'd just make sure the school is too.

I'd think about skins for winter as well and if he likes it maybe think about joining a club?

My ds loves it.

Mouth guards are compulsory now, no guard, no play.
You can also buy protective undershirts that have a lightweight armour type across the chest and shoulders, padded head guards (scrum caps they're called).
As long as it's properly organized/coached the risks are minimal, probably less so than football.

Should also say, get a proper fitted mouthguard, most dentists do them now, about £40 but much better than the ones that you can buy in sports shops for a fiver that you have to melt and mould to the teeth. Hope this helps.

Thanks. We've got the skins as he does other winter sports. I'll look into the scrum caps and protective undershirts for him, thanks. As for joining a club, he can if he wants but will have to give up another sport as rugby will be the fifth sport he does and there won't be enough time - he does competitive swimming, tennis, football and cricket already.
His school are very good about safety in sport.

X posted. Thanks for the mouthguard tip - I'll contact the dentist.

Also, most rugby teams won't allow you to use football boots with regular football studs. If you don't want to buy another pair of boots, you'll probably have to change the studs to rugby ones each time he plays.

Thanks, I'll remember that.
I've so far resisted the joke about funny shaped balls, not sure how much longer I can do that. It's essential isn't it?!

How does he have time for it all.

My ds is 12 and has rugby 2 nights a week (1 club and 1 development thing) and on Sunday morning. Plus school stuff. If he likes it and is good it's quite a commitment.

How does he find time for it?

Swimming x1 a week
Cricket x1 a week, Football x1 a week (but not at the same time - football season finishes the week before cricket starts)
Tennis x2 a week
plus 1 lunchtime club.

If he enjoys it, rugby will become his life. I'm not a rugby fan, and actively discouraged DS1 from joining the local team when he was in primary.

He was asked to play for school in year 7....he now plays between 4 and 6 times a week, is going on two weekend tours this spring, spends his free time down the local club, either in the bar, or kicking balls over posts.

I spend my time washing kit.

Only two injuries so far, but both involving hospital, and one resulting in surgery...

Does your son do all of these after school or during school? Cricket season and rugby season are played at opposite seasons so that’s fine and rugby season is nearly over , but I agree with previous pp it’s a big commitment.

Rugby is quite full on. Mine is off on 'tour' this weekend.

Tennis is outside school, as is cricket and swimming. I've told him that he will have to choose between rugby and football.
The ones who play a lot for school, is that private school?

No, state school.