Return to no face masks to protect against concussions?

[Duckjake]

We're in the DEAD ZONE. This past weekend I resorted to watching golf!

That wasn't golf. That was SURVIVOR SAN FRANCISCO.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

And as for Rugby, I like watching me some Rugby, but there's no comparison whatsoever to the NFL. Rugby is a grind game. There is no Rugby player on this earth who could potentially compete in the NFL all game long. He'd get too gassed and wouldn't be quick enough or fast enough in the short to medium-game (not to mention the long game). NFL dudes run 100 yards on kickoffs and cover long passes and go laterally at high speed with superb athleticism. That being said, you could take the best lineman in the NFL and put them on a Rugby team, teach them the rules, and they would own Rugby, just own it. They may even like it. NFL lineman aren't afraid of broken noses or aches and pains, let's get real. NFL lineman can move laterally over a short distance much better than any Rugby player. There's no comparison. They can run laterally faster and pursue faster and they're huge and tough. There's no comparison to the training these guys get in the NFL. And if you don't like using lineman, you can use a FB or a RB like Jones Drew. No comparison. Bar none.

I say this with complete respect, I played the sport for 12+ years, and have been to the nationals a couple times. I know the sport.

With all do respect, that is a very ignorant post, not because of your personal intelligence, I have read a lot of your posts and you are intelligent, make good points, fun to read, etc., etc. When I say ignorant it is lack of experience, you have never played the game and from reading above, have NO IDEA what it takes.

I am not saying an NFL player could not dominate on the rugby field. I have no doubt that many could. Also, I agree that NFL linemen are sick. There quickness, and ability to move for 10 seconds at a time is ridiculous. No atheletes in the world, can move at the size of these NFL linemen. Yet, a very select few linemen could play professional rugby, or any type of rugby. Even some linebackers, tight ends, and running backs would have a little trouble.

Now, as for a rugby player getting gassed playing football? Nothing could be farther from the truth. Rugby is an endurance sport, that is like no other. There are no huddles, no 30 second rest periods (well, unless you have a "sly", old, fat player like myself who knows how to produce a 30 sec. rest, but I digress....). It is two 40 minute halves, running time, no stoppages. You just run. Run until you want to die, and then you run some more. You make a tackle and then run. You ruck and then run. You scrum down, then run. And run, and run, and run, and run. Thus why most of the professional players are between 260lbs and 180lbs. If anything the rugby players would have to condition themselves to be bigger for football.

The hardest thing while I played the game was to find the right wieght to play at. Too heavy, and you can't get around the field, too light and you end up hurt. At my size (between 260lbs and 290lb, remember this is still an amature sport in the USA) my training was strictly to make sure I could run for 80 minutes, and get to where I needed to be on the field to implement my strengths. That being said, my body would be in shape to play rugby, but too "light" to be at what I want to play football.

I am not saying that an NFL player, lineman, lineback/RB, or DB/WR could not play rugby. But, in a professional rugby game the linemen would not be able to keep up, not even for a half. The linebackers would have problems as well, but they would adapt and eventually be fine. The DB's and WR's are the guys, if you could teach them the game, would "own" the rugby field.

As for saying a professional rugby player is not trained to what an NFL player is ? That is just not true. Different sports but atheletic cieling is the same. You can easily put some rugby players on an NFL field and they would be fine. The endurance apect would be the dead last thing a rugby player would worry about on a NFL field. DEAD LAST. Just like a NFL player, a rugby player would just need to learn the rules, and the best rugby player would thrive in the NFL just as the best NFL player could thrive in professional rugby. Plus to saying something in favor of the rugby player, he would be the best tackler on the team. In the NFL you miss a tackle there are people to back you up. In rugby if you miss a tackle it is a score 90% of the time.

Now that all being said.

One of the fun things as an American, is to field a rugby team with NFL players. A majority of our countries' best, contact sport, atheletes are football players. Thus our countries' rugby team is awful. Yet, if we were to use some NFL players we would, like you said, be a better team, and give the rugby powerhouses, South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia, France, etc. a run for there money.

Guys like Devin Hester, Patrick Peterson, Mike Wallace, Adrian Wilson, to name a few would, without any training, be very very dangerous playing rugby. If any of them know how to kick/punt, they would be super dangerous. Who would be the best NFL player to turn into a rugby player ? Randall Cunningham. Oh boy. Good arm, good speed, good size, and can punt the ball.

Yet, the biggest NFL player I would put on the team would be a freak-of-nature type like Calais Campbell, Julius Peppers, or Mario Williams. Guys that are huge players but in great shape. Darnell Dockett, for all the respect I give him as a tremendous athelete, would not be able to run effectively for 80 minutes against professionals. He just would not.

So while I agree with some/most of your post, that last part is innaccurate.

I like Rugby, so it wasn't intended to offend anyone. I have a preferance for American Football, which I think is totally obvious. I should have left the whole Rugby V NFL alone, since I really don't care at all. I'm just long winded and couldn't help myself.

I took absolutely NO OFFENSE WHAT SO EVER. I just hope you feel the same way. I hated using the word "ignorant" but I hope you understand it was not to be used in a negative way at all. Much respect to you, and I was more than happy to talk a little rugby this afternoon. It is all good, and a conversation I have with people a lot, and that includes guys that are more knowledgable than I have when it comes to rugby. And yes, those very expereince guys say, and agree with you on the same things that I do. Rugby is just not played by a lot of people, and the rules/flow of the game is known by even less. Can't be offended by something that is just not common knowledge. Happy to try and give my two cents about something I know a lot about. You can even ask another rugby player, he will probably say the same thing, and lament the vast amount of running you need to do in the sport. I am telling you it is ridiculous how much you have to run without a break in the sport.

PS - For you and any rugby fans. Next time the World Cup comes around I would be happy to have a Google+ gathering for a game, and you guys can pepper the heck out of me with questions. I enjoy getting more people to learn the game of rugby. It is a great sport. The ULTIMATE team game, and a game anyone can play. You need a ball, mouthpiece, and cleats. That is it. Cheap, and a position for almost anyone. Plus you get to hit people.