
It seems that the discussions on here and the messageboard regarding the number of injuries being sustained in the modern game are mirroring those taking place nationally, with debate raging yesterday as to whether tackling should be banned in schools to prevent serious injury, especially concussion.
It appears that a group of British medical experts thinks it should be.
The papers and national news are full of doctors expounding their arguments as to why injuries sustained by pupils playing rugby in schools are often ‘serious’ and damning rugby as a ‘high impact collision sport’, suggesting that there’s a 1 in 4 chance of serious injury.
A group of 70 medical experts have written an open letter suggesting that pupils playing the game in schools are in serious danger of injury and that a ‘softer’ form of the game should be played, even higher up the age groups, that is more akin to touch rugby.
At a time when the RFU are looking to increase the numbers of youngsters playing the game in schools to over 1 million, the medical profession seem intent on dumbing down the game and wrapping Britain’s youngsters in cotton wool.
The letter contains the following statement:
Rugby is a high-impact collision sport and given that children are more susceptible to injuries such as concussion, the absence of injury surveillance systems and primary prevention strategies is worrying.
Children are being left exposed to serious and catastrophic risk of injury. As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UK and Irish governments should ensure the safety of rugby, by removing the contact from the children’s game in schools.
short-term, life-long and life-ending consequences for children
that full 15-a-side rugby will begin a year later at under 14 and provide a gradual and more managed introduction of the contact game around the tackle will take place from under nine to under 12 instead of over just two years at under nine and under 10 as previously. This will give players, teachers and coaches more time to master the techniques in a safer and more supportive environment.”
The benefits of schoolboys / girls playing a contact team sport like Rugby FAR outweigh the potential injury risk through tackling
— Jamie Roberts (@Jamiehuwroberts) March 2, 2016
My contract finishes this year so we will see what happens. It all depends on the body and if the club want me to stay on, but it would great to play another season or two and my aim is to help Cov get back in the Championship.