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To scrum, or not to scrum: That is the school rugby question

Roar Rookie
12th November, 2018
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Roar Rookie
12th November, 2018
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The French are good at banning things. They banned skinny models in magazines, they banned food waste from grocery chains, they even banned mobile phones in schools.

One thing they banned earlier this year that really stood out was tackling in rugby union junior grades. There were calls in the UK last year to do the same in British schools.

A team of medical experts recommended in the British Medical Journal to ban tackling and scrums in school rugby. The reason, to reduce the risk of concussion and brain damage for young people playing the game.

The statistics used were alarming, rugby has three times the number of head injuries then sports such as ice hockey.

In 2017, the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport carried out a study on 480 students who attended and played rugby at one of the nine Greater Public Schools(GPS) that make up the competition in Brisbane.

They found concussion to be the most common injury with tackling the most common cause of injury. The question is what does rugby do about it? GPS Rugby had a horror 2018 with a number of serious injuries occurring.

What if anything should Australian/New Zealand rugby do about the issue? Some ideas.

Option 1: Don’t change anything
There are a number of ways rugby is currently trying to curb head injuries. Stricter concussion protocols, rule changes regarding high tackles (now nipple line not shoulders) and heavier sanctions for those who are careless will help reduce the number of high tackles. Is that enough?

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With more studies coming out about concussion and head injuries, if nothing is done, participation levels at school age will decline.

Option 2: Ban tackling and scrums until a certain age
Would following the French be a sensible idea? Is banning tackling and scrums from school competitions the way forward? It will be interesting to fast forward time and see the results of the changes to the French system.

Will there be a spike in injuries once players resume tackling in the appropriate age group due to poor technique? Will there be a significant reduction in head and neck injuries in younger grades the ban applies to? Do we want to change the game that dramatically?

British and Irish Lions New Zealand Barbarians Rugby Union 2017 Generic rugby image

Should we ban scrums? (AAP Image/Ross Setford)

Option 3: Make scrums uncontested in lower standard games
This option could have a significant impact reducing serious head and neck injuries including concussion.

If scrums are not contested in lower level school rugby, the number of injuries would fall. For ‘A’ standard and First XV matches contested scrums should remain. Those matches that are B,C,D,E grade, taking the contested scrum out is a realistic change that can be made.

For example, will the result of the Under 14D Nudgee College vs Ipswich Grammar match change dramatically with uncontested scrums.

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Scrummaging technique should still be taught at training sessions no matter the level or ability.

Coaching standards can always be improved and further education for school level coaches is a must with tackling and scrums a vital part of that. Many parents still hold their breathe when their child is packing down in the front row, one of the reasons change is needed.

The options above are only a few of many that Administrators/Directors/Coaches of school level rugby could consider.

For any individual to suffer a catastrophic injury playing rugby is a tragedy. Finding the balance between safety and the essence of the game we love is important. Change will need to happen.

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