Is Professional Rugby Union Becoming too Dangerous?

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Rugby players are monsters. They have become so big, can they be called human? In this modern day, rugby union is more about how hard you can tackle and how fast you can run, than the rugby. This essay will delve into and explore whether professional rugby union is becoming too dangerous and why this is the case.

Was the professionalism of rugby a good idea? Sure, it’s great to watch and exciting to play but at what cost, Death? As a rugby player myself, I believe rugby is a fantastic sport and it is something I know a lot about. However, I believe the size and fitness of the players is changing the dynamic of the game. The idea that rugby players must be over a set height and weight for selection to represent your country is profound. The skill and determination of a player appears not count for much in today’s rugby.

The equipment worn by the players contribute to making the sport of rugby union much safer. Mouth guards are worn; this is a piece of plastic that fits to the players upper set of teeth, to prevent the teeth clashing. Teeth clashing can cause concussion; therefore, mouth guards are worn to stop this danger. Secondly, post pads are placed around the rugby posts to stop the players hitting into them and causing a very serious injury, as the posts are made from metal. Although not mandatory, scrum caps are likely to be the most commonly used accessories in the game. This piece of equipment involves a cloth helmet that covers the head but leaves the face uncovered; the cap is filled with small pockets of soft material, usually foam. This also helps to stop the game being so dangerous. There are many pieces of equipment that contribute to making the sport of rugby much safer. However, there are many reasons why the...

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...are to forgiving in such a dangerous sport. With people’s lives on the line in some situations, why should the referees forgive athletes for rule breaking? Rule breaking should be more harshly dealt with, resulting in match bans or sending the athletes off the pitch.

In the past ten or twenty years we have noticed a considerable change in the players physiques, however this is not a valid reason for rugby becoming more dangerous as this is in fact protecting the athletes. However, surprisingly, the equipment involved in making the game safer can have the reverse effect as the players take safety for granted, this can result in injuries to players. The structure is different from other sports, but isn’t much more dangerous. Rugby is a contact sport, and in any contact sport however good the rules are injuries will occur. I believe rugby is in fact becoming safer.

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