Enforcing the Laws

[Lar]

Interestng Article in today's IT by Owen Doyle regarding the protection of players. In almost all instances he feels that enforcing the existing laws rather than introducing new ones will make a big difference to safety of the game. He does suggest some tweaks but they are relatively small.

Maybe a conversation for the summer given another Final to be fought on Saturday but in my experience Doyle is right when he says "Parents never used to hesitate to introduce their kids to the game. They’re hesitating now." That can't be good for the long term welfare of the game.

[neiliog93]

Terrible article. Hysterical and will put parents off allowing their kids to play rugby - get rid of the breakdown and it's just rugby league. Rugby is a game with inherent risks and while there has been laudable progress on player safety (e.g concussions, tip tackles, high tackles, blatant thuggery, etc), the risks will never be eliminated from the game.

It is arguably more dangerous to tackle low anyway, with the ball carrier's feet and knees bashing about.

[TrapperChamonix]

Terrible article. Hysterical and will put parents off allowing their kids to play rugby - get rid of the breakdown and it's just rugby league. Rugby is a game with inherent risks and while there has been laudable progress on player safety (e.g concussions, tip tackles, high tackles, blatant thuggery, etc), the risks will never be eliminated from the game.

It is arguably more dangerous to tackle low anyway, with the ball carrier's feet and knees bashing about.

I don't believe the article is at all Hysterical. I take your point that the game has inherent risks. But there are areas that have now become seriously dangerous. Having seen my own son have his skull fractured (thankfully only requiring rest / time out of the game) because of opposition players charging into rucks, I'm particularly drawn to his comments on "clearing out".
For what ever reason, refs allow defensive players to swing into the ruck NOT thru the gate (a la Pocock), then allow them to poach in positions where their body is not being supported (physically not possible) and as some way of equalling the competition, they then allow the attacking players to shoulder charge the player in the "Poach" position and say they “didn’t survive the collision”.
That interpretation is not in the laws / rules but seems to have crept into the reffing of the game. Initially at pro level, but that has trickled down through the levels.
So I think hes right that we should be looking to apply the laws properly to help protect the players.

[TrapperChamonix]

Also as a parent who has supported his son play all the way up the age groups, given the number / level of injuries, I do sometimes wonder whether it would have been better to have encouraged him in another direction.
On balance its far more positives than negatives, but it would be silly for the IRFU / World Rugby to ignore whats happening because of it appearing "negative" in the press

[Lar]

Terrible article. Hysterical and will put parents off allowing their kids to play rugby - get rid of the breakdown and it's just rugby league. Rugby is a game with inherent risks and while there has been laudable progress on player safety (e.g concussions, tip tackles, high tackles, blatant thuggery, etc), the risks will never be eliminated from the game.

It is arguably more dangerous to tackle low anyway, with the ball carrier's feet and knees bashing about.

He doesn't argue for getting rid of the breakdown, he argues for applying the rules to that phase of the game, because it will be safer for players. I accept the game has inherent risks, but if the level of risk threatens the number of young players starting to play the game then it threatens the long term survival of the game.

[Oldschool]

Law changes and enforcement should have one focus and one focus - Reducing the impact of impacts.
We are where we are now because the drive (by the SH mainly) for entertainment, above all else, has resulted in impacts that are more dangerous for the players.