I’ve been involved in Rugby Union - both in the amateur and professional eras - admin, not playing. Concussion is something in which I’ve taken an interest. Studies have found that one of the biggest misconceptions is that helmets prevent concussions. They don’t. Helmets protect the skull from fractures. Concussions are caused when the brain moves inside the skull; helmets do little if anything to prevent the brain from rattling inside the skull. Some believe that helmets are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Clearly, proactively preventing concussions is better than reacting to minimise them. Hence, the attempt in Rugby Union to outlaw head shots - however, it’s not only head shots that cause concussion - the brain can and does move through any impact. Sometimes, what might be viewed as innocuous from the touch line might actually be damaging. One approach to monitor what is happening is the use of instrumented mouthguards that report in real time. The RFU and Premiership are currently using a US developed mouthguard system. The FA is trialling one developed by a Wales based company: both Harlequins and St Helen’s have used this system. This system can also be used in other sports, even for wider applications: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/b...-help-score-fights-prevent-head-injuries.html
I bow to your greater knowledge, Taff. The rate of dementia in high-level rugby players is really worrying. The impacts among these powerful players is far greater than 40 years ago. Something needs to be done to give greater protection.
One part of the problem is that the players are so much bigger (and fitter) these days. (For example, I was in the same school year as the daughter of Roy John. A brilliant Lions and Wales second row - he played 6 consecutive tests for the Lions - and was regarded as (arguably) the best line out jumper of his era. Mike Phillips - former Lions and Wales scrum half was bigger than Roy.) The hits are now huge - and teams often play an attritional contact style, as opposed to passing and avoiding contact. I fear for some of the guys in future as they age ….
My boy, half Welsh and now 26, played both club and school rugby, at a very big rugby school (they had a full time Kiwi rugby coach, whose assistant was Tana Umaga’s brother Mike who played for Samoa), RFU National Schools Cup Winners at both age groups several times. Bizarrely he played in the seconds at school, but county level via his club. Many of the first team players at school were on the books of professional clubs, and they were all huge no matter what position they played. Obviously this wasn’t natural, although they did do insane levels of training as well. My lad was never interested in taking it that seriously, but he still sustained several concussions even at U 16, plus multiple ligament and hand injuries (not great for a man who is now a carpenter by trade). He loved the game and it was great to watch, but I’m not sure I would have been so supportive if I knew what I do now. But he did give me the opportunity to irritate a large proportion of the Swansea valley, at his great grandmothers funeral when he was about 5. A lot of old mates of his Welsh grandfather from Ystradgynlais were there, grandfather long dead sadly but a big rugby man, all telling me ‘so, he’ll be playing for Wales then….” My response “Only if he’s not good enough for England….” My (Welsh) wife had to calm them down, and I’ve never really been forgiven….. To be fair when it comes to rugby the boy is a proper Wales and Ospreys lad.
The Ospreys helped develop (and used in matches, as did Cardiff, Harlequins and Leicester) the instrumented mouth guard that I mentioned is now being trialled by the FA. There was one occasion (during testing) before an Ospreys training session that the Company noticed some unusual (ie high) readings. On investigation, they found that the Ospreys players had decided to have a game of headed tennis with a football…..
Watching Australia v Scotland in RL World Cup...... It's men v boys..... Aussies going along at a point a minute so far 34 - 0 after 33 minutes.......
