AIBU to stop DS taking part in rugby tournament?

[chasingtail]

9 yo DS is due to take part in his first school rugby tournament tomorrow. All good except tonight he returned home from training and now can't find his gum shield.

I have torn the house apart looking for it and it may be he has left it at school but in the meantime DH and I agree that he can't play tomorrow without the shield. Sod's law he'll get his teeth knocked out. DS says other boys play without guards but surely that can't be right?

He is distraught and I Feel really bad for him but am also mighty cross that he doesn't look after his things properly.

Think this will be a hard lesson to learn but AIBU not to let him play?

You might be able to get a boil in the bag one from a sports shop and drop it down to him at school? They might let you use a kettle to mould it for his mouth?

I have done this before!

in most schools & clubs a gum shield is compulsory. Do they sell them in the school office?
At 9 though is it tag, or contact rugby.
Tag isn't any more physical than football really, maybe if the school allow them to play without a shield it is because its tag rather than contact.

I would be amazed if they let him play minus the gum shield.

Thanks for getting back so quickly.

He's got to be at school for 8 and the tournament is a 2 hour drive away so no chance of dropping a shield off.

I will check with the PE teacher and the office 1st thing about policy/spares but frankly am so furious with him if he can't play it will be a hard lesson learnt

BTW What is a kettle shield??

Sorry, just re-read message about using a kettle!!

I agree with others - he shouldn't be allowed to play without a gum shield.

As for your AIBU, I wouldn't let my sons play for any club or in any tournament where gum shields weren't compulsory, so I think YANBU to stop him from playing.

Ds is in yr4, and they are not allowed to play rugby without a gumshield now they are doing contact.

I have a spare couple in the cupboard as the bloomin things seemingly have legs

If it's contact rugby then he won't be allowed to play without a gum shield. I too assume at his age it'll be tag only.

But yep get a boil n bite one as a spare. Even the oppro gold is pretty reasonably priced.

Age 9 will be contact so gum shield essential, he shouldn't be allowed on the pitch without one and I very much doubt other boys play without them either.

At age 9 in a club environment they are playing contact and he would not be allowed to play without a gum shield.
However at the schools here, they play tag until secondary school and a gum shield is not needed for tag.

As a future tip, buy a few cheap gum shields from sports direct to keep in the house so when they discover 15 minutes before leaving the house that their gum shield went through the washing machine and is buggered, you have a back up.
Sunday morning at the club often sees coaches with mugs of boiling water and gum shields bought from the club shop.

I wouldn't worry about a gum shield for tag. But if it's full contact, then obviously no gum shield, no play.

oh & don't underestimate how disgusting boys are when they really want to play.
When ds1 was told he couldn't play in a school match as he couldn't find his gum shield he found one in lost property.

Big lesson for me as well - get lots of spares!!! Feel bad now

Under 9's (year 4) is the first year of contact. One on one tackling.

I'm with you on this one OP. It's a tough lesson to learn but an important one.

As a mum whose child plays rugby here in NZ. The rules here are no gum shield no game so I wouldn't let him play unless you can get hold of another one

don't feel bad, I wish I'd been tougher on ds1 at 9. He may not be so uselss at 15 now

Is it two or contact, OP?

Have emailed the head to see if she knows if any spares are floating around.

Could you pop out to a 24hr supermarket and grab one for him? I think our big Sainsbury's sells them but worth calling in advance to check.

Asda often has them

DS plays under 7's and they have a 'no gum shield, no game' rule.

It might be a tough lesson for tomorrow but we have learned to have a stash of the £1 'boil in the bag' ones in various places - boot bag, kitchen drawer, glove compartment...

Oh, and it sounds a bit grim but is there any chance that his friends might have a spare one that you could borrow and 'remould'?

We are out on sticks and DH away so no chance of nipping out.

Tomorrow I'm gonna buy a friggin' job lot of the things!!

I'm not sure whether it's tag/contact he plays and as he's finally fallen asleep I'll have to ask him in the morning.

Have just texted everyone I can think of to see if anyone has a spare.

If you're near lincoln then I have a spare, but it's pink!

Crisis averted, friend has a spare!

Thank God... Need massive drink now!

Thanks all xxx