Rugby Has To Seriously TAckle This Latest Attack

BACK in the dark days of the 1950s, when I first got into rugby, there was no such thing as Health and Safety, Risk Assessments or any mention of a Duty of Care. Shit happened, rugby players of all ages were knocked out making tackles, they were brought round, patted on the back and sent back into the fray.

 

Alzheimer's Disease, or Early Onset Dementia were unheard of. Yes, older people went "doolally", I have in doing my family's history, seen "Senility" listed as a cause of death. If any doctors had a notion of the effects of repeated blows to the head being bad for someone, it probably went no further than thinking of "punch-drunk" boxers. We were a lot-more naive and had a lot less research to draw on back then.

 

So, we should be thankful for today's greater knowledge of the potentially lethal affects of blows to the head during sport in general and rugby in particular - but, this week's calls for a ban on tackline, because it just might harm our precious children - Nah!, count me out.

 

Back in the Dark Ages, outside the Borders, it was almost unheard of for primary school-aged children to play the game. In my native Ayrshire, you didn't pick-up a rugby ball until you were in the First Year at Secondary, unless, like such as John Beattie, you went to Cambusdoon Prep School in Ayr.

 

But, I still recall how, at my first rugby practice, in First Year, we were taught two things - how to give an take a pass (back then it was the classic swing pass across the body) and, how to tackle. It was drummed into us, we had to get our head behind the legs of the guy we were tackling - nearly always from the side, and round the knees/thighs area.

 

That was the key, then, it is still crucial today. Right from the off, kids MUST be taught to tackle properly, this is basic stuff. But, I believe, even properly-coached players will still, just occasionally, get it wrong and be injured. As I say - shit happens. But, the more proper technique is coached into young players, the fewer bad injuries there will be.

 

There has been, during the current discussion on this matter, been suggestions to the effect, we should segregate young players by weight, rather than as has always been the case, by age, or, in Mini-Rugby, what Primary Class they are in. I would have no objections to this. I would like to hope the SRU will give consideration to implementing this.

 

Now, there is a drawback. Weight categories works well in New Zealand. However, in The Land of the Long White Cloud, rugby is almost approached with religious fervour; when you have as many young players as they have, it should be easy to operate age bands, not so easy, however with the lower numbers we have here.

 

 

 

AT this time of year, new contract talks are ongoing, with the two Scottish professional clubs announcing this week that some familiar names are staying, while others are going.

 

Glasgow, for instance, revealed this week, Mike Cusack has departed, for Newcastle Falcons. Mike has had a tortuous time with injuries at Scotstoun, with a couple of lengthy periods on the side lines. The season before last, given a run of fitness and games, he was for a time, as good a tight-head as you could wish for.

He got a deserved Scotland cap in the build-up to the World Cup, but, with Zander Fagerson breaking through, and new "project player" Jarrod Firth arriving, the Warriors' management perhaps feel, they can let Mike go.

Mike Cusack - off to Newcastle

However, as Cusack departs, Warriors have announced new contracts for three of the club's favourite sons. Rob Harley, Ryan Wilson and Chris Fusaro don't have the media identity of the legenday "Killer Bees" - Kelly Brown, Johnny Beattie and John Barclay, but, they haven't allowed the challenge of taking over from that much-lauded trio get them down.

     Rob Harley, Chris Fusaro and Ryan Wilson - new contracts signed 

Harley, Fusaro and Wilson will now be staying at Scotstoun until May, 2018, as Toony continues sorting-out his squad for next season and beyond. There are always personnel changes in team games, the secret is - enough to keep things fresh, but, not so-many that the team ethos suffers. Keeping these three, is a good move.