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Most dangerous position on the field is definitely the fetcher/flanker as he is expected to be the first at the ruck and stick his head where it shouldn't really be. I expect many players in this position to have the worst injuries.
A Brain Clinic has opened it's doors in London for ex Rugby players to be able to understand and receive treatment for brain injuries. This is something that should have happened 25 years ago as this is going to be a bigger issue than we can ever imagine.
Rewind back 25 years ago on how payers were coached and one can see why this is an issue today. Rugby Union is a macho sport that can only be matched with Rugby League for physicality as no other sport comes close to the punishment a body endures over a career of over 20 years.
What I was taught 40 years ago when I was learning how to play was that you must hit the opposing player harder than what he hits you so you are fully committed. Anything less and you will more likely get injured as someone who is less than 100% committed in a tackle or a contact situation normally coms off second best.
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When entering a ruck which is when the ball is on the ground and there are more than 3 players present (1 opponent and 2 of yours) you enter head first at speed to remove whoever is on the opposing team. This was not rocket science and even though the dangers of rucking with the boots has been removed since those days the dangers are still present today.
Those players like myself who grew up in that style of play are now coaching and have passed on what we knew to the next generation. The problem with brain injuries like concussion is they are never seen unlike a broken leg or an arm. They hide away until the next time and the next time as the ignorance of not knowing what you cannot see means everything is ok. The biggest fear of any rugby player was breaking your neck, but how about being a cabbage must be a close second. We used to tease certain players that they could never be concussed as they had nothing to damage, but that is not a funny joke now knowing this is that serious.
Sadly a recent survey showed that 23% of rugby players have some type of brain disorder which is not surprising with what happens on the field. I would say it is higher than that especially for the forwards who see a head knock as just another day in the office. The forwards do the physical work
and back then all we cared about was not having cauliflower ears when we retired.
Bash your head enough times and you will have some after affects with possible lasting damage for the rest of your life. The prodegenerative brain disorder is basically dead brain cells which happens to all of us as we get older but in this case that process has been sped up significantly.
I mentioned in a previous post about one player who retired last year who was diagnosed with stage 2 dementia. Others are now finding out as the symptoms are quite easy to recognise. The obvious one is the loss of memory from recent events (had me worried for a moment), the ability to do normal things and personality changes. I think many are in for a rude awakening over the coming years as what is the true number of not even ex players, but current players with brain damage?
One player went for a bike ride on a normal route which he did regularly and got lost and couldn't find his way home. Sounds like a comedy, but how sad is that? He is 40 and has been informed he will most likely be in a care home before he turns 50. This is how serious this is and players and ex players need to wake up to what they are in for.
Personally I am glad I retired when I did and feel it is even more important than ever to have qualified referees in place who know what they are doing. The cheap shots is what is being missed meaning players taking blows from others unseen by non players as they don't see the malice. Every game I see what is happening and the players are getting away with it. This needs to change or there won't be Rugby as a sport within 10 years.
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Imagine forgetting you even played in the World Cup and winning the trophy.
Players will be too scared to play once they see the consequences of previous players and how they are having to live. Carl Heymans the renown tough guy from the All Blacks who earned a fortune will be spending his money on treatment within the next 10 years as he is only 41. Steve Thompson won the World Cup in 2003 and can't remember any of those games. Steve is 42 and a world of trouble awaits him and his family. It is the families that suffer as they are reminded of this illness every day and the ones living in the hell.
Ex Players used to joke they all needed name tags at reunions as they couldn't recognise anyone and that was the truth. This has been something bubbling under the surface for years. The Brain Clinic is a little too late for so many who are going to have a struggle for the rest of their lives.
Ex Players are now trying to raise the awareness as this hidden danger needs to be highlighted quickly. Changing the laws is one thing but current players need to change what they are doing as laws are easy to get around.