I think rugby as we know it will be gone in a few years.
The injuries and head knocks mean imo its inevitable.
I've been thinking that as well TJ. Players are so big and athletic - the impact forces are so high at the top levels.
It has to change, I think a big plus would be making the pitches much wider at the pro level, bring skill and speed into it more.
I think rugby as we know it will be gone in a few years.
The injuries and head knocks mean imo its inevitable.
I disagree a bit - basically if the concussions are managed then its much less bad. hence the 23 day protocol. We just apply it blanket across our players, 19 days for seniors. Any one of the symptoms above, then we assume you have concussion and its min 23 days from cessation of symptoms. I think this will help in a big way.
I also agree with less replacements and/or bigger pitches.
Interestingly the womens game has become a very dynamic game to watch, less ploughing matches and more fancy backs moves.
Remember the time when George North went grey in the face on the pitch. I felt like that was badly managed, it still scares me that the senior game (in england, and especially in wales) appears to be ignoring the RFU stuff on concussions.
there was a lot of discussion about it during these summer games when SA, NZ and Aus players got ruled out but NH players were back next week... Hmmm...
Another jobby sandwich;Ed Slater the Gloucester lock has retired with immediate effect after a diagnosis for MND.
I think rugby as we know it will be gone in a few years.
The injuries and head knocks mean imo its inevitable.
I think that the focus has to change. At the moment the risk/reward ratio for going high in a tackle to stop the offload means that even the risk of a red card isn't enough to stop head contact. And as we've seen over the last year referees are losing their appetite for giving out red cards so the incentive is only getting stronger.
I mentioned a while ago about how tip tackles were pretty much eliminated from the game but I don't think this is going to happen with head contact. The risk/reward ratio for tip tackles meant coaches quickly adapted tackle technique to avoid tip tackles since there wasn't any real benefit.
I think tackle heights have to come down and it has to be policed on the potential rather than the outcome.
By that I mean that contact should only be made below the shoulder. Making contact with the shoulder should be a penalty and possibly yellow.
This isn't going to solve the issue because I believe the root cause is the sheer size and speed of modern professional players and direct head contact is only part of the problem. I think that basically outlawing the wrap tackle will do more to reduce player size because it will make offloads much easier. More offloads means that the game becomes more aerobic than anaerobic and players will spend more time jogging around the field rather that constantly setting the line and then sprinting.
The most idiotic mitigation I've ever heard for head contact is, 'How is a large player supposed to get low enough to tackle a small player?'
Rugby is supposed to be a game for all shapes and sizes. This means there should be some advantages to being 5'5".
Basically I think the focus going forward should be on adjusting the rules to encourage coaches to reduce the size of their individual players. Not that the entire team should be made up of Oompa Loompas but maybe it should more closely reflect the size and shape differences you see in a typical amateur team.
The modern game is not what it was in the pro/am transition and yes big changes need to happen. Big fines for management etc that keep a player who may be concussed on the pitch. Bring back the toughness of cards. Stop the on the pitch mitigation, allow that to happen at the panel (mitigation found cleared to play next week, no mitigation ban depending on severity). Another TMO to help spot potentials.
Stick another 25m on the pitch width and only allow medical subs. If you are suspected of gaming the system the it's a deano ban.
Will it ruin rugby? Yes. But it's no longer rugby of the rule book. There's always been big hits and concussion but having me smash you at 11atone is different to steward hitting you in a tackle. As above big slabs of muscle smashing folk day in day out is causing damage.
Moving to a team GB format for the sevens World Series and the Olympic games. I have concerns that this will set a precedent for other competitions and other sports.
https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/scottish-rugby,-rfu-and-wru-announce-move-to-great-britain-model-for-hsbc-world-rugby-sevens-series
As much as love rugby the head impact issues need to be taken seriously.
How it will effect the game I don't know but it has too, George north is a prime example of a player getting left on with head knocks.
Sexton is a current player that I aways think is only one game away from injury with big back row players clattering him.
Sadly we seam to be at the start of the graph from a data point of view. Wonder how fast will the old boys move on making changes?
22-23 Season thread here.
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/rugby-22-23-season/
