WHAT ABOUT US?
By: Austin Spencer
Rugby is gaining popularity and is safer than football. In football players tackle with the front top part of their head and try to blow people up. While in rugby you have the be tackled from the shoulders down and from the knees up and wrap up the opposing player. As a result of this there is less concussions in rugby and is safer then football.
RUGBY SHOULD BE SCHOOL FUNDED
Rugby puts in the time and dedication for practice. Rugby is lots of running and is a good way to stay in shape. if the schools would promote rugby then there would be more people playing it and in turn rugby would gain more popularity. Rugby can also improve other sports too like in basketball or football during the off season to get conditioning and improve the individuals endurance.
SAFETY ISSUES
Some people believe that rugby is more dangerous than football. It's not there is more injuries in football in Football than Rugby. Which is understandable because there is little to no pads but is not true. one study of 35 football players 34 of them showed signs of brain injuries. ( from https://www.theguardian.com/sport/shortcuts/2013/jan/28/american-football-rugby-more-dangerous) Jim Mckenna, a professor of physical activity and health at Leeds Metropolitan University and rugby coach, also points out that football players tackle and lead with their heads. In rugby it is spinal chord injuries in the scrums. Only 110 rugby players have been paralyzed.
SCHOOL RECOGNITION
Rugby teams travel all over to compete in competitions for the state and even regions. For example over May 7th and 8th the Avon Rugby Team went up north to Elkhart, Indiana for a weekend-long tournament called the Mid-West Invitational. There were teams from all over the state. The Semi-State and State game there were people there that didn't know either team.
COST AND FUNDING
Since the only equipment needed is short shorts, a jersey cleats and a pair of cleats. while in football you need cleats, knee pads, thigh pads, a girdle, football pants, shoulder pads, helmet, a practice jersey, and a game jersey. The average rugby roster has about 20 to 25 players. While the football counter parts have anywhere from 70 to 90 people in a 6A conference leading to more money being spent.
EQUIPMENT
The only equipment need to play rugby is the uniform and a mouth piece and an optional scrum cap. The "lack" of padding or equipment also helps with overheating and exhaustion. The mouth piece helps prevent you from biting your tongue and getting your teeth knocked out. Up until recently the players couldn't wear cleats with the front toe spike along with the screw on cleats you can wear the solid materials meaning that the spikes either have to be all metal or all plastic, no hy-bred materials.
PACE OF THE GAME
The pace of the game is much faster than that of football. In football the end of the half and the end of the game feels like they drag on for hours. there is just so many ways that the clock can be stopped. the clock can be stopped by the team in possession getting the ball out of bounds, by throwing the ball away resulting in a incomplete pass, and by calling a timeout. In rugby the only break there is, is the halftime with the the exception of an injury and what ever time is lost is made up in extra minutes.
TACKLING FORM
The way that the players tackle in football is dangerous. The Heads Up tackling that is being taught to the youth leagues and in high school and even in the collegiate level is not the safest way to tackle. That way of tackling is putting the tacklers head in the way of a receiver or running back that is barreling down the field. In rugby the tackler has to break down and instead of putting your head in front of the ball carrier and "biting the ball" the players are taught to put your ear on the butt of the ball carrier and wrap up. This can translate on to the football field for the football players that also play rugby.
SPORTMANSHIP
I know that high school sports are always talking about good sportsmanship but i don't know of any sports that actually practice good sportsmanship as far as saying good game and shaking up after the game. In rugby after every game both teams get together and they eat a post game snack or meal after they shake up.
OLYMPICS
Rugby was first introduced in the Paris games in 1900 as the 15's version which is where there is 15 players on the field at once. The Rugby 15's also was is the 1908, 1920, and 1924 Olympics then went away. Then a different version of rugby showed up in the 2016 Rio Olympics called Rugby 7's. 7's is the same as 15's just with 7 players on the field instead of 15 and the halves are 7 minutes long instead of 15.
The recognition the school would receive with with the addition of the rugby team and the added skill to the football team with the tackling form is just some of the reasons on why schools should fund the sport rugby. Not to mention the pace of the game isn't just faster but also safer than football.