When I was 13 I was knocked unconscious during a school rugby practice.
When I came to I was informed that I had been "out" for around a minute. Unbelievably, I was "encouraged" to play on and allowed to cycle several miles home. No one thought it necessary to inform my parents.
Surprisingly, my enthusiasm for the game wasn't dampened and I played for many years. I never reached the heights but regularly found myself in direct opposition to British Lions' players including Ian "Mighty Mouse" McLauchlan and Sandy Carmichael. But that was then.
The game has changed out of all recognition. The main difference being those Lions were amateurs who, like me, probably only trained on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Even the national coach had a day job as a headteacher in the Borders. International opponents didn't appear unduly large or intimidating. Indeed, I remember matching up to "Broon fae Troon", the legendary Gordon Brown. The game then seemed more open and, yes, fun.
Today's international players rarely grace the same pitches as club amateurs. Their game is hugely more physical, dominated by high intensity bodily contact. Professional players are fitter and much, much bigger. Many modern three-quarters are bigger than even the largest forwards of my day.
The long-term effects of the sheer physicality of the modern game on professionals' bodies is concerning. I hope I'm wrong, but there may well be a legacy of physically and neurologically damaged players. In the case of professionals, these could well be deemed workplace injuries, opening the door to litigation and compensation claims.
Professionals know the risks when they sign on and take the money. However, there is a backwash into other levels. While watching my former club, I see the same emphasis on the close-quarters physical contact that dominates professional play. The professional game has introduced a philosophy and style totally inappropriate for amateurs and, above all, school-age players.
The changed nature of the game places huge responsibility on those who coach young players and whose bodies are still developing. Hopefully, the vast majority respect safety measures, particularly in relation to scrummaging. However, a neurosurgeon writing recently in the British Medical Journal feared that even at school level "a gladiatorial culture" exists that "suppresses injury reporting" amongst young players.
If I had a school-age son or daughter would I encourage him or her to play rugby? I'm not sure. I would require answers to a few, possibly uncomfortable questions. Are the players carefully matched in terms of age and physique? Could the lack of proper care I experienced all those years ago happen today? Can I be confident that the responsible adults are aware of and respect the safety measures for young players? Can they recognise and respond to a serious injury? And, crucially, does the club systematically and rigorously record injuries to young players and how they are followed up?
If the answer to any of those questions should be no, my son or daughter would be doing something else with their weekends.
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