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‘The risk of catastrophic injury is too great’: Readers share their views on children playing rugby

‘I think more needs to be done to protect the players from damage which may not be apparent for years to come’

Irish Times readers share their thoughts on children playing rugby. Photograph: James Crombie/INPHO

Sat Apr 22 2023 - 05:00

Last week, The Irish Times published an article about how rugby culture has changed and there is greater surveillance of injuries but some medics remain concerned for young players. We asked readers if they allowed their children to play rugby and if they had any concerns about children playing the sport? Here is a selection of the responses.

‘Allowing my children to play rugby was a step too far’

“I have four sons between the ages of 10 and 16. They climb trees and bounce on trampolines. Pre-Covid, they did kick-boxing and they still swim, play soccer and hurling as well as Gaelic. All of these sports are very physical and bring with them a degree of risk – this is part of the excitement and attraction for the young male – as driving cars and chasing girls probably will also be at some stage.

“I encourage them to partake but also pay attention to (increasing) safety advice. Metal studs on football boots seem to have vanished. Without shinguards, you are not allowed on a soccer pitch. Likewise, the idea of not wearing a helmet in hurling is unthinkable and anything that involves a player’s neck will get you red-carded. No gumshield, no match in Gaelic and warm-ups and cool-downs get more attention than in the past.

“But, for me, allowing my children to play rugby was a step too far – collapsing scrums, bone-crunching tackles, stories of cauliflower ears and paralysis combined with information that had already emerged from legal proceeding in the US in relation to American Football. I felt the risk of catastrophic injury was simply too great. I was briefly unpopular – but my conscience is clear.

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“It is a wildly exciting sport to follow and I am a huge fan of some of the great names in the sport. I particularly admire the respect given to referees in nearly all situations – something that other sports could learn from. However, considering what we now know about the safety risks, I think more needs to be done to protect the players from damage which may not be apparent for years to come.” – Sarah Nestor, Co Louth

‘You’re as likely to get hurt playing hockey or GAA so why not play rugby?’

“My son started playing rugby for the first time this season in school. My wife was reluctant to let him start as she felt the game was too high-risk. I did make the point that he currently mountain bikes with me most weekends and with adequate training (learning how to protect yourself in a fall) and the right gear (helmet, kneepads etc), you can help minimise any potential damage and with rugby, a similar case would apply.

“He wears a scrum cap and Under Armour on the field now. It’s his first team sport endeavour and it has introduced him to a whole host of new friends in his school. My view is that you’re as likely to get hurt playing hockey, GAA or horseriding so why not play rugby? With a new focus on player welfare, I feel it’s a good a time as any to get involved in the sport.” – Gavin Feeney, Co Dublin

[ Rugby: ‘Mothers say if they oppose their child playing the game, they are threatened with divorce’ ]

‘I was told he had a brain injury and should take time off school and recover’

“My son played rugby from the age of four. He loved it. I thought it was good for him to socialise, get fit and learn to be part of a team. He played both for a local club and his school. He had absolutely no fear on the pitch. In his first year in school, the training was intense and so was the diet they were to follow. He loved it.

“Thankfully, when he started in first year, he got the opportunity to have tests taken to show his reaction times to stimuli. This test became very important in the future. He played for the first team at one of the well-known rugby schools. He had various injuries over three years. Most importantly, he had three concussions.

“As a mother, I felt my concerns were brushed away. He started to suffer from headaches and other ailments. I went back to the place that tested him. I was told he had a brain injury and should take time off school and recover. He was also never to play rugby again. I don’t know how I held it together. My son was petrified. He thought, ‘This is it’.

“Eventually, he did recover. He played tag rugby once. Ended up in the doctors and told he could never play tag rugby either. He also spent six months in physiotherapy three years after damaging his shoulder. I know rugby is a game most like to watch. The damage that young people have experienced is appalling. As adults, we should know better.” – Fiona, Dublin 6

‘Risks should be mitigated as much as possible’

“I grew up playing in England and had several concussions and at least one visit to hospital after being knocked out. As well as that, I remember long sleeps after a few bad bangs in the head. I had a reputation for hard tackling and wanted to live up to that.

“The culture at the time was get up and keep going, don’t show the opposition that you’re hurting, as long as you could count how many fingers the ref was holding up you were fine. I was ever only really a club player and continued to play and was able to modify my game to make it less hazardous as I got older, switching positions from flank to hooker, finishing my playing a career on the wing.

“I am worried about the impact of brain injury but I was never involved in the intense training environment where you had to make high impact hits. I now volunteer as an affiliate referee and have advised coaches that they have to substitute players who have had a head impact.

“On two occasions, I have had to advise the players the choice isn’t theirs, it’s my decision. They didn’t know how badly they might be injured. I think we all have a duty to protect the young people in the game. However, in life, there are risks. They should be coached to tackle safely and make the decisions that they need to on the pitch in a positive way. Risks should be mitigated as much as possible. Only if we all do this can we promote, protect and enjoy the game that we all love.

“There are risks in all contact sport and even in non-contact sports, even in everyday life. Participating in sport doesn’t just make us physically fit. It teaches teamwork and decision-making skills as well. As long as those parents, coaches and, to an appropriate level, the players know the risks and promote a safe game then there will be fewer issues like brain injury.” – Kevin Feeney, Co Leitrim

‘It is no longer a full contact sport, it is a collision sport’

“I am now in my late 20s and as a teenager, played rugby competitively in a ‘rugby school’ in Dublin. I enjoyed playing it then and enjoy watching it now but, now that I look back, it was a bizarre set-up for adolescents and I would not be thrilled if my own son or daughter were to be in that environment. From 13-18, we trained five times per week, with a huge emphasis on getting bigger, stronger, faster and fitter – too much in my view. Weight sessions, creatine (or creo), protein shakes, playing through injury and macho-ness were the order of the day.

“Over the last 20 years, all players have gotten so much bigger and stronger but, crucially, faster, which means that it is no longer a full contact sport, it is a collision sport. This means that players are so much more susceptible to injury – to all sorts of degrees.

“What, perhaps, many people do not realise is that these schools are effectively professional rugby academies, as the kids (which is what they are) are subject to similar training schedules and programmes which are not a million miles off full-time professional rugby players. The core message from rugby coaches is: ‘Put your body on the line.’ There is no other sport that I know of where this is the cornerstone of the game. This means that injuries will always be part and parcel of the game, regardless of tackle height, protocols, etc.” – Anonymous

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