How much of the current actions regarding brain injuries will transfer to RL? That and the Rob Burrow sadness must make us, and our game, think about responsibility and protection.
An instant change in our game could be to revert to a 5 metre separation rather than the 10. It lessens the speed of impact dramatically, which is a major factor.
The game enjoyed great success and saw our 'great' ball players demonstrating their skills under that configuration.
Both codes of rugby have branded themselves on the 'collision' rather than the skill aspect of the games in recent years, so this issue is only going to grow. Both codes are very attritional and that's the way they seem to like it. One immediate downside of this for me is that rugby then appears to be off-putting for juniors. Kids get made to play RU at school, I go and watch my nephew play U-8s RL in Widnes and I have to say, there are hardly any kids playing rugby in the town. Rugby is in the 'too-hard' basket these days and that starts from the top down.
Certainly the 'big hits' beloved by the Barry MacDermott school have to be toned down.
The bull-necked heads down and charge which forms the majority of the RU game could, on the face of it, be causing the trauma that the purists seem to delight in. The SL game looks for skill based ball play, though the 'hard man' has always been respected and sought.
As I said above, our game could be modified to cash in on low speed skill once again wihout loosing its attraction.
In our early days strength was certainly tested, but at a slower impact. Great tries were scored and very skilful half backs found and made holes in defences with real skill.
My fear is that the differences in the games (RU/RL) will be ignored and we could be be dravged into the same OTT changes wbich look likely to be imposed.
How much of the current actions regarding brain injuries will transfer to RL? That and the Rob Burrow sadness must make us, and our game, think about responsibility and protection. An instant change in our game could be to revert to a 5 metre separation rather than the 10. It lessens the speed of impact dramatically, which is a major factor. The game enjoyed great success and saw our ‘great’ ball players demonstrating their skills under that configuration.
It is a sensitive subject and I don’t want to sound insensitive here but is there compelling evidence that ex football players who have suffered dementia are suffering as a result of football? Many women suffer that awful disease and they have never had an “impact injury”.
As for Rugby, I don’t think you can make the game more safe without destroying the game tbh, there has to be an element of risk or Rugby becomes a passive sport like football. Players know what they have signed for, they are warriors, if they get dementia in old age then I am sure many will accept the consequence.
A decent proportion of older people will get dementia, head injury or no head injury.
I would agree with much of what you say Spike.
Most active sports involve impact of some form or other. Horse riding, for instance, jars the spine etc., gymnastics also jars the body, controlled maybe, but jarring all the same. As you say many suffer from a variety of neurological traumas, without taking part in any sort of sport.
But if things go to their usual pattern many sports will be implicated, particular if some see the possibility of a payout.
Quite how a player who knew that he was being severely concussed on a regular basis yet continued to play can charge the game for the injury really puzzles me.
I would agree with much of what you say Spike. Most active sports involve impact of some form or other. Horse riding, for instance, jars the spine etc., gymnastics also jars the body, controlled maybe, but jarring all the same. As you say many suffer from a variety of neurological traumas, without taking part in any sort of sport. But if things go to their usual pattern many sports will be implicated, particular if some see the possibility of a payout. Quite how a player who knew that he was being severely concussed on a regular basis yet continued to play can charge the game for the injury really puzzles me.
What place is charging the game? And ultimately like you say, there are certain sports than can only be played with risk to trauma injuries, boxing and horse riding for instance.
Steve Thompson has said that he can't remember winning the World Cup, and is supported by a fellow forward. They are thinking of sueing the RU heirarchy.
Would this mean that professional boxers would have to wear head guards like the amateur ones? Otherwise they are bound to get sued.
This the point isn't it ? Thompson says that he was hit regularly and just carried on in auto drive. But he still turned up for training and the next game, without reporting his problems?
Sounds a bit far fetched to me, but the RU has said today that they are covered by insurance!
For me, if a player was that far gone his mates would have spotted it even if the crowd didn't! Maybe our crowds watch more closely but you can soon see if a player isn't really 'with it'.
Is there a case for making scrum caps compulsory?
I think so.
Now eight claimants now apparently.
Scrum caps wouldn't guard against impact injuries I reckon, they might stop cuts etc. Speed of impact matters, and weight!
Scrum caps are meant to only prevent cauliflower ears!
My dad played both codes in the thirties and wouldnt wear one, 'for posh school puffs!' was his view!!!
Not wishing to sound like one of the four Yorkshire men but when I was a boy in the 1960’s if you lived into your late 70’s you were very old. A lot of people in Widnes didn’t really make it past their 60’s and the ‘Big C’ was mentioned with fear and an expectation of the worst.
Scroll forwards 50 - 60 years and significant advances have been made in the field and whilst not completely beaten cancer isn’t necessarily the fatal event t once was. With this and other medical advancements late 80’s is now becoming a more reasonable life expectancy.
My point is that dementia may always have been there but is now, at least to some degree, prevalent because people are living longer and the degenerative effect on the brain is increased with the increase in longevity.
I think that, like all medical challenges, ways to control and prevent the condition will be found and almost equally likely within the next 50 or 60 years the same process will be applied to the next condition that impacts 90+ year olds.
Many early, post retirement, deaths in this region were due to the chemical and other industries. Abestos clouds were common when plants or large diameter pipes were being lagged, for instance. But as you say, bodies run out of time for a variety of reasons.