Group wants to ban tackling in school rugby

Post Reply New Topic

http://www.theguardian.com/education/20 ... hool-rugby

It is one of the major aspect of the game. How are they to foster talent if they don't have a youth game. Touch rugby is all very well, but it is a different game.

I think the problem is coaching, technique and good refereeing.

Also treating concussion seriously. This need to be done on the professional game. First sign of concussion, it should be treated as such and they should not come back on.

Crack down on tackling players off the ground, stiff arm, high tackles, etc.

You can take the bellow the shoulder rule, and make it lower. Perhaps more narrowly define tackles.

Then what? Boxing ( which i think is pretty barbaric anyway, but each to their own!) martial arts? etc.... yes there are risks in everything, and yes maybe more in rugby... but we cant cotton wrap our next generation! It bureaucracy going out of control! HOWEVER, i do understand the implications of early development , especially of the brain, and getting sudden jolts in the game, but again, if we outlawed every single thing that would have some for of negative impact on us, we would be in stasis!

I actually do martial arts.

The differnce rugby and professional boxing, is Rugby the prime objective in a tackle is to stop advancement, and try an turn the ball over. In boxing, you are trying to know the guy out. Yes point are important, but you want the end the fight.

Dangerous play like tacking high, tackling someone in that air, stamping is rightly penalised. Teams can't afford player off the field.

"Hospital passes" exist is various codes, but you are aware of what will happen with training.

If you are worried about jolts to the brain, take the pads an protection off. Pads cause more shock injuries.

Scrum caps are different, becuase they are protecting the ears.

One of the myths is boxer wear gloves. In order to protect the person they are hitting. Nope. Wrapping the wrist mean they can hit an bad angle not possible in bare knuckle without damaging the wrist. Gloves enable to you to hit harder on the hard targets.

American football they head barge at full tilt, do that without neck and head protection and you will kill yourself at that same force, or become paraplegic.

That is why the head is tucked in rugby and you have to attempt to get the arms round or it is not a tackle.

Technique, and good supervision is essential.

I think we could quite happily live without rugby. There are other forms of exercise. Honestly seems stupid to get a concussion just for fun. People are incredibly stupid creatures, mind you, so are stags and swans when you think about it.