Has Rugby Got Too Hard on the Body

[DCB]

the whole technical aspect of the tackle has changed since I played many years ago. Long gone is the "round the legs" tackle, it's all about tackling and hitting a target area in the midrift and making sure the opponent stops going forward. It is far more physical and in some cases more dangerous than it ever was in the "good old days"

 

[Hobbit]

the whole technical aspect of the tackle has changed since I played many years ago. Long gone is the "round the legs" tackle, it's all about tackling and hitting a target area in the midrift and making sure the opponent stops going forward. It is far more physical and in some cases more dangerous than it ever was in the "good old days"

Not sure that's strictly correct. I was taught back in the early 70's to tackle depending on where you approached your opponent from and where you were on the pitch, e.g. if the guy is coming towards you and you're only a few yards from the try line hit them higher and drive them back. If you hit them low they stood a better chance of making the line. We were also taught to look how he was carrying the ball, and where and how you hit him is dependant on that.

Never played the jolly hockey sticks version of being gentle and only tackling around the legs

 

[c1973]

I was always trained to 'take the legs from them' in order to stop the oppo, 'above the waist' was the last resort.......mind you, I was a centre half and never played rugby.

 

[Khamelion]

I've never played rugby at a competitive level, but I did play American football, okay it was back in the day when it was a relatively new sport in the UK and it was still being showing only on channel 4, but even with all the padding injuries were common, I did both my ankles, another had his shoulder dislocated, during one match I was knocked out cold for, well I don't know how long, as I can't remember being hit but I do remember coming to and the play being at the opposite end of the field with the teams walking off, same game I got speared in the chest had a bruise the size of a saucer on my chest for a week and that was through my padding.