American Football or Rugby - who needs to be tougher?

[onuzim]

I live in South Africa where rugby is a religion(I am a believer) but I enjoy watching the NFL and college football when it airs on satellite here. This got me thinking about which is the more demanding sport physically ie which players need to be tougher.

 

If you have 2 minutes to kill it would be interesting to hear all your thoughts?

 

My view is that rugby players are tougher as they don't get to wear the protection that American football players do.

[MattTheTaff]

I'm welsh so naturally I worship at the alter of rugby union.

I don't know about "tougher" bu I will say 100% rugby players are a more complete "ath-o-leet" than american footballers.

But the truth is if the US took rugby seriously then they would destroy every country on the planet... Including AUS, SA and NZ

[tembolo1284]

Rugby.

[Big L]

I just played in a winter tournament last weekend and was paired with a gentlemen from New Zealand. I noticed his "All Blacks" putter cover (along with his hat, pants, vest, etc.) and talked a little rugby with him since I played in college for about a year and a half. He said the problem with Americans playing rugby is that they think it's American Football. If you watch a "good" Rugby match, yes they're are some hard hits, but for the most part, the athletes are playing with self control. Watch American football, you see bodies flying everywhere and no attempt to actual wrap a guy and tackle. So to answer the OPs question, I think due to the sheer velocity and force delivered with some of the hits, you have to be tougher to play American football. However, you must be a more full complete athlete (as well as being tough as h%$$) to play rugby due to the long playing time, no super long stoppage of play, and the fact that your only going to get subbed if you're injured.

[blaird]

I have never watched a rugby match (outside of a few minutes if one is on or highlights somewhere) but I do watch a lot of football. I dont know that you can say one is tougher than the other. A guy from the Falcons lost part of his finger and wanted to keep playing that game and I am pretty sure he was back the next week.

I do have a question for the rugby enthusiasts though. Does rugby have the same issue with concussions that football has?? I would imagine they do but like I said, I havent seen a match or keep up with a league so I honestly have no clue.

[bscinstnct]

Both are tough.

In football, you get a guy get hit directly and has his knee totally blown apart and crippled on the spot. Happens to someone almost every game it seems. Then they rehab and very often get back out there.

Just one example of a perceived difference on my part. The injuries sustained. In football, lot's of broken bones and blown apart joints. Lots. And lots of concussions. Not sure how often this happens in rugby.

[bscinstnct]

I'm welsh so naturally I worship at the alter of rugby union.

 

I don't know about "tougher" bu I will say 100% rugby players are a more complete "ath-o-leet" than american footballers.

 

But the truth is if the US took rugby seriously then they would destroy every country on the planet... Including AUS, SA and NZ

 

You might be surprised. This guy is 6'4, 270. Think thats over 120 Kg.

 

 

 

Rugby players are beyond tough. My college had a pretty good team and I remember a guy playing with like half his ear hanging off. That was pretty cool.

[onuzim]

Concussions happen fairly regularly in rugby too, knee injuries are also fairly common as are dislocations.

Some of the hits i've seen in the nfl are frightening BUT i've have seen some crazy ones on the rugby field too....I do believe the intensity of a rugby match is a tad higher than American football.

[RJRJRJ]

Its hard to say since they are inherently different sports, but I can tell you with almost certainty that if NFL players didn't wear padding, there would be at least one death per game.

[papichulosteve]

its a wishy-washy answer, but i'd say it's a tie...well, except for kickers (football)

while yeah, rugby players don't wear pads, they also don't deal with a lot of the open field velocity that wide-receivers face when going over the middle against a linebacker. not saying rugby isn't fast, i've watched plenty of both, but i think that what the one poster said was very true...rugby is a very contained/self-controlled sport where the athletes know proper technique, where as football players are constantly running at 110% trying to go for the knock-out blow.

[scratchswinger]

They are both extremely tough, tough is tough. It's too hard to judge who is tougher of the two. It's like asking is a TMAG driver better then a Callaway.

[bscinstnct]

[quote name='papichulosteve' timestamp='1389371510' post='8435263']
its a wishy-washy answer, but i'd say it's a tie...well, except for kickers (football)

while yeah, rugby players don't wear pads, they also don't deal with a lot of the open field velocity that wide-receivers face when going over the middle against a linebacker. not saying rugby isn't fast, i've watched plenty of both, but i think that what the one poster said was very true...rugby is a very contained/self-controlled sport where the athletes know proper technique, where as football players are constantly running at 110% trying to go for the knock-out blow.
[/quote]

From pop warner (wonder if they still call it that...it's the kids level football), you learn technique, drill proper form, and practice in live thousands and thousands of times. On Defense, you practice Rip, Swim countless times if you are a pass rusher.

Here are several specific techniques, starts with the bull rush which ironically, so many guys who get to the big colleges may over rely on because they are simply the biggest and strongest and have been able to just push others around.

But notice the arm extension, constant driving of the O lineman back. These techniques are used differently on different O lineman who have different attributes and techniques of their own. And each can be used to set up for another on the next play.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb9p-upzzxo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb9p-upzzxo[/url]

While there is a lot of reckless and unorganized looking play in football. It is actually requires a high degree of execution on technique.

[MattTheTaff]

I think the main problem with football is the pads and helmet.

In rugby you're taught to take the guys legs and get your head on the correct side when tackling. Going high on a guy is not going stop him efficiently and both players could end up in a world of hurt.

You see a lot of reckless and dangerous tackles in football and I believe it's because the players feel "invincible" with the gear they're wearing.

But at the end of the day they're both different sports. A tackle in football usually means the play has ended and the ball is dead so the objective is to stop him by any means possible. In rugby the ball is still alive and play keeps going so the main objective is to stop the player efficiently and get back on your feet ASAP for the next passage of play.

Both games are great though.....(well except for all the stoppages in football)

[MattTheTaff]

I'm welsh so naturally I worship at the alter of rugby union.

 

I don't know about "tougher" bu I will say 100% rugby players are a more complete "ath-o-leet" than american footballers.

 

But the truth is if the US took rugby seriously then they would destroy every country on the planet... Including AUS, SA and NZ

 

You might be surprised. This guy is 6'4, 270. Think thats over 120 Kg.

 

 

 

Rugby players are beyond tough. My college had a pretty good team and I remember a guy playing with like half his ear hanging off. That was pretty cool.

 

There's plenty of guys in rugby around 110kg and can run 100m in under 12 seconds (backs and forwards). George North comes to mind.

 

Google sonny bill Williams. That nutcase is also the heavyweight boxing champ of New Zealand in his days off

 

 

[MattTheTaff]

[quote name='RJRJRJ' timestamp='1389370329' post='8435153']
Its hard to say since they are inherently different sports, but I can tell you with almost certainty that if NFL players didn't wear padding, there would be at least one death per game.
[/quote]

I'd disagree with this because they would quickly realise that you can't go throwing yourself at your opponent without both parties being seriously injured.

Self preservation would kick in.... Unless you're seriously stupid

Also the governing body would have to change the laws on tackling which would probably align themselves with rugby.

The two main tackling laws in rugby is 1) nothing above the shoulders (ie. you can't clothesline someone or wrap an arm round someone's neck) and 2) no spear tackles (picking someone up by the legs/a** and drilling them head first into the ground)

[RJRJRJ]

[quote name='MattTheTaff' timestamp='1389375855' post='8435767']
[quote name='RJRJRJ' timestamp='1389370329' post='8435153'][color=#282828][size=3][background=rgb(247, 247, 247)]Its hard to say since they are inherently different sports, but I can tell you with almost certainty that if NFL players didn't wear padding, there would be at least one death per game.[/background][/size][/color]
[/quote][color=#282828]I'd disagree with this because they would quickly realise that you can't go throwing yourself at your opponent without both parties being seriously injured. [/color]

[color=#282828]Self preservation would kick in.... Unless you're seriously stupid[/color]

[color=#282828]Also the governing body would have to change the laws on tackling which would probably align themselves with rugby.[/color]

[color=#282828]The two main tackling laws in rugby is 1) nothing above the shoulders (ie. you can't clothesline someone or wrap an arm round someone's neck) and 2) no spear tackles (picking someone up by the legs/a** and drilling them head first into the ground)[/color][/quote]

Oh, no doubt they would have to tone it down big time. Im just saying if that they played exactly the same without pads, heads would be flying. This is what makes it difficult to compare the two sports. Whats worse, a softer hit without pads, or a harder hit with pads?

I can say though that watching a video like this really makes you see how incredibly violent the game can be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G-Mdq2DdhY

[highergr0und]

Doesn't matter, hockey players have them all beat.

[MattTheTaff]

[quote name='highergr0und' timestamp='1389377330' post='8435963']
Doesn't matter, hockey players have them all beat.
[/quote]

And they've got sticks.... And no teeth... And knives on they're feet... And all some just wanna fight... And it's all done on ice!


Crazy Canucks

[tembolo1284]

I'm welsh so naturally I worship at the alter of rugby union.

 

I don't know about "tougher" bu I will say 100% rugby players are a more complete "ath-o-leet" than american footballers.

 

But the truth is if the US took rugby seriously then they would destroy every country on the planet... Including AUS, SA and NZ

 

You might be surprised. This guy is 6'4, 270. Think thats over 120 Kg.

 

 

 

Rugby players are beyond tough. My college had a pretty good team and I remember a guy playing with like half his ear hanging off. That was pretty cool.

6' 4" and 270 lbs is one HUGE MF.

[MattTheTaff]

I'm welsh so naturally I worship at the alter of rugby union.

 

I don't know about "tougher" bu I will say 100% rugby players are a more complete "ath-o-leet" than american footballers.

 

But the truth is if the US took rugby seriously then they would destroy every country on the planet... Including AUS, SA and NZ

 

You might be surprised. This guy is 6'4, 270. Think thats over 120 Kg.

 

 

 

Rugby players are beyond tough. My college had a pretty good team and I remember a guy playing with like half his ear hanging off. That was pretty cool.

6' 4" and 270 lbs is one HUGE MF.

 

Sexy, too!

[blaird]

[quote name='highergr0und' timestamp='1389377330' post='8435963']
Doesn't matter, hockey players have them all beat.
[/quote]

I can pretty much agree with this.

We have a local minor league hockey team down here and back when I was in high school I knew and played golf with a few of the guys. Hearing some of the horror stories from games and how guys would just play through them amazed me.

I remember something about a goalie that was slid into and the skate cut the vein in his neck. Barely made it to the hospital in time.

[somaplr]

You'll never get people to agree on this - and it all depends on where you live. You'll never have many US people agree with the rugby crowd and people outside of the US agreeing that Rugby isn't the toughest sport ever.

Pads in football have to do with protection - it really doesn't make one feel invicible. The idea of pads came about because so many professional and college players were DYING on the field in the pre-pad era.

now.....they just die years later instead...oops

[bscinstnct]

I'm welsh so naturally I worship at the alter of rugby union.

 

I don't know about "tougher" bu I will say 100% rugby players are a more complete "ath-o-leet" than american footballers.

 

But the truth is if the US took rugby seriously then they would destroy every country on the planet... Including AUS, SA and NZ

 

You might be surprised. This guy is 6'4, 270. Think thats over 120 Kg.

 

 

 

Rugby players are beyond tough. My college had a pretty good team and I remember a guy playing with like half his ear hanging off. That was pretty cool.

 

There's plenty of guys in rugby around 110kg and can run 100m in under 12 seconds (backs and forwards). George North comes to mind.

 

Google sonny bill Williams. That nutcase is also the heavyweight boxing champ of New Zealand in his days off

 

Time for....

 

Best hits videos.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_kflEwPJgw

[MattTheTaff]

As I'm typing this I'm watching a profile on tv about the linebacker Derrick Thomas. I love these type of players... Pretty much the equivalent of flankers in rugby

[tembolo1284]

A dude that's about Ernie Els's height...but has 50-60 lbs on him. That's even more man than MattTheTaff can handle. Goodness me!

[MattTheTaff]

[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1389379334' post='8436257']
A dude that's about Ernie Els's height...but has 50-60 lbs on him. That's even more man than MattTheTaff can handle. Goodness me!
[/quote]

You'd be surprised... What with all the squats and glutes I've done over the years

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='MattTheTaff' timestamp='1389379567' post='8436287']
[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1389379334' post='8436257']
A dude that's about Ernie Els's height...but has 50-60 lbs on him. That's even more man than MattTheTaff can handle. Goodness me!
[/quote]

You'd be surprised... What with all the squats and glutes I've done over the years
[/quote]

That's hot.

[highergr0und]

Watching those rugby videos it's probably about how football would be if they didn't wear helmets. For the most part those guys in rugby are keeping their heads out of the way while the NFL guys use theirs as weapons.

[MattTheTaff]

Golden rule in rugby is to take the legs... He can't go bloody anywhere without his legs!

.... Otherwise this happens...

http://youtu.be/WTaPONca-3o

[onuzim]

Clean forgot about the hockey lunatics I played field hockey but that probably doesn't count