Rumour Mill

[domhnallj]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY24T3Ljmo0

Sign him up!

He's the Nelson Muntz of rugby!

[Logorrhea]

He wont know how to play when he reaches his teens, everyone else catches up with him and they start hitting back hard.

Someone needs to help him out now before that happens, rather than allowing that kind of on-field pointless bullying.

[hugonaut]

He wont know how to play when he reaches his teens, everyone else catches up with him and they start hitting back hard.

Someone needs to help him out now before that happens, rather than allowing that kind of on-field pointless bullying.

They won't catch up with him because they'll all be dead from his hand-offs.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Not that I should be analysing someone that young but he keeps the ball in two hands and keeps looking around when he makes a break, good habits and I'd say he's got a lot more than just bosh...although he may never need anything more by the looks of it.

Have to admire a couple of the small lads who try and stop him, especially the guy who basically just throws himself to the ground in the hopes of tripping him up. Nearly worked too!

[Ruckedtobits]

He looks like (and plays like) the Aussie sub-hooker Palotu Nou. The Aussies obviously don't play weight grades at under age like the Kiwis. If they did, that kid would be playing with the 65kg mob!

[waterboy]

The a f%~king scandal and hearing adults openly laughing at young lads half his size getting flattened is frankly appalling. How many of those young players who unfortunately aren't the size of a teenager at age 8 will give up the game after that or worse end up with a serious injury. No way he should be allowed play against opposition who are all literally half his size. The NZ system should be brought in worldwide.

[simonokeeffe]

The a f%~king scandal and hearing adults openly laughing at young lads half his size getting flattened is frankly appalling. How many of those young players who unfortunately aren't the size of a teenager at age 8 will give up the game after that or worse end up with a serious injury. No way he should be allowed play against opposition who are all literally half his size. The NZ system should be brought in worldwide.

yeah this

Its quite dumb from the coaches, not going to break the law if he plays a year or two up

[kermischocolate]

He wont know how to play when he reaches his teens, everyone else catches up with him and they start hitting back hard.

Someone needs to help him out now before that happens, rather than allowing that kind of on-field pointless bullying.

Or he turns into Naiyaravoro- masses of potential that doesn't make much of it. Would have loved to see him have a proper pre-season and season under Toonie. Unfortunately it wasn't to be.

[Ruckedtobits]

Glad to read that NFL to now donate $100m for research and development of protection against concussion and its medical treatment, in their game. Following on from $1Bn settlement paid this year to former retired NFL players, it looks like that sport has finally accepted some responsibility. Wil ours?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Glad to read that NFL to now donate $100m for research and development of protection against concussion and its medical treatment, in their game. Following on from $1Bn settlement paid this year to former retired NFL players, it looks like that sport has finally accepted some responsibility. Wil ours?

Accept...or forced to accept it? I think rugby has done in fairness. The big difference with the NFL was that they knew what was happening and denied it. Once rugby discovered there was a problem they started to deal with it. Unfortunately that was too late for some people but hopefully things will be better going forward.

[simonokeeffe]

Glad to read that NFL to now donate $100m for research and development of protection against concussion and its medical treatment, in their game. Following on from $1Bn settlement paid this year to former retired NFL players, it looks like that sport has finally accepted some responsibility. Wil ours?

Accept...or forced to accept it? I think rugby has done in fairness. The big difference with the NFL was that they knew what was happening and denied it. Once rugby discovered there was a problem they started to deal with it. Unfortunately that was too late for some people but hopefully things will be better going forward.

that settlement was a huge win for the NFL/they dodged the real bullet

but players were coached to lead with the head for years

[LeRouxIsPHat]

The a f%~king scandal and hearing adults openly laughing at young lads half his size getting flattened is frankly appalling. How many of those young players who unfortunately aren't the size of a teenager at age 8 will give up the game after that or worse end up with a serious injury. No way he should be allowed play against opposition who are all literally half his size. The NZ system should be brought in worldwide.

I'm sure if he was injuring people then he wouldn't be allowed to play at that level, and he won't be at it for much longer as it is. He's probably the only player on the entire planet who's that big at that age, not like those kids are playing him week in week out. So I'd say none of the players will give up after it, and it'd be pretty disappointing if they did, or if they were allowed to.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

that settlement was a huge win for the NFL/they dodged the real bullet

but players were coached to lead with the head for years

I wince every time I see that. Don't know how they haven't adopted more a rugby style tackling technique by now. I think it'll happen eventually, but expected the concussion stuff to make it happen immediately.

[johng]

So I'd say none of the players will give up after it, and it'd be pretty disappointing if they did, or if they were allowed to.

Jaysus. Victorian dad over here.....

[LeRouxIsPHat]

So I'd say none of the players will give up after it, and it'd be pretty disappointing if they did, or if they were allowed to.

Jaysus. Victorian dad over here.....

Ha, thought that might come across badly! I just mean that if I had gone to my parents and said I wanted to quit after playing someone like him then they would have made me go again for the next week or two. Not saying they should keep up rugby forever, just that one bad experience shouldn't put them off.

[simonokeeffe]

that settlement was a huge win for the NFL/they dodged the real bullet

but players were coached to lead with the head for years

I wince every time I see that. Don't know how they haven't adopted more a rugby style tackling technique by now. I think it'll happen eventually, but expected the concussion stuff to make it happen immediately.

the Seahawks last year adopted a rugby style tackle approach and it really improved one of the best defences in the league and the players love it, zero offloads out of tackle so orthodox rugby tackle does just fine and they got a lot fo praise for it

what annoys me also about that video is the amount of kids wearing scrumcaps, parents need to be told that they protect the scalp not the skull (or brain) and as much chance of giving kids bad habits eg leading with head as doing anything else

[the spoofer]

IRFU have issued guidance to refs on foul play and it's fairly extensive.

One that caught my attention was the tackle. Shoulder first tackle is illegal. I have always coached that the first point of contact should be the shoulder followed by a wrap of the arms.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

IRFU have issued guidance to refs on foul play and it's fairly extensive.

One that caught my attention was the tackle. Shoulder first tackle is illegal. I have always coached that the first point of contact should be the shoulder followed by a wrap of the arms.

I've given out about that before too, it makes no sense. I think we all know when leading with the shoulder is actually bad but it's hard to define and they've made a balls of attempting to do so.

[waterboy]

The a f%~king scandal and hearing adults openly laughing at young lads half his size getting flattened is frankly appalling. How many of those young players who unfortunately aren't the size of a teenager at age 8 will give up the game after that or worse end up with a serious injury. No way he should be allowed play against opposition who are all literally half his size. The NZ system should be brought in worldwide.

I'm sure if he was injuring people then he wouldn't be allowed to play at that level, and he won't be at it for much longer as it is. He's probably the only player on the entire planet who's that big at that age, not like those kids are playing him week in week out. So I'd say none of the players will give up after it, and it'd be pretty disappointing if they did, or if they were allowed to.

There is simply no way he has gone through a season without causing a lot of injuries to opposition players. You only have to look at any match to see the injuries caused to players getting injured tackling lads their own size.

It's actually laughable that you think having someone his size playing against other 8 year olds is somehow grand as they only play him twice a season. How could you be disappointed in a parent who for their own kids safety refused to let it continue? or indeed a kid who has a multitude of sports to choose from, to choose another sport after being flattened repeatedly in a match while the parents laugh at them from the sideline. I suppose it's character building eh!

He may be an outlier in terms of his absolute size but just watch the minis at half time in the RDS to see how many teams rely on the just give the ball to the big lad tactic, it's not good for the sport or the development of young players either skills or safety wise.

[goreyguy]

The a f%~king scandal and hearing adults openly laughing at young lads half his size getting flattened is frankly appalling. How many of those young players who unfortunately aren't the size of a teenager at age 8 will give up the game after that or worse end up with a serious injury. No way he should be allowed play against opposition who are all literally half his size. The NZ system should be brought in worldwide.

I'm sure if he was injuring people then he wouldn't be allowed to play at that level, and he won't be at it for much longer as it is. He's probably the only player on the entire planet who's that big at that age, not like those kids are playing him week in week out. So I'd say none of the players will give up after it, and it'd be pretty disappointing if they did, or if they were allowed to.

There is simply no way he has gone through a season without causing a lot of injuries to opposition players. You only have to look at any match to see the injuries caused to players getting injured tackling lads their own size.

It's actually laughable that you think having someone his size playing against other 8 year olds is somehow grand as they only play him twice a season. How could you be disappointed in a parent who for their own kids safety refused to let it continue? or indeed a kid who has a multitude of sports to choose from, to choose another sport after being flattened repeatedly in a match while the parents laugh at them from the sideline. I suppose it's character building eh!

He may be an outlier in terms of his absolute size but just watch the minis at half time in the RDS to see how many teams rely on the just give the ball to the big lad tactic, it's not good for the sport or the development of young players either skills or safety wise.

True. Underage club game blighted by the tactic, prevents real skill development.