My 15 year old son is massively into rugby and plays as a forward. The amount of kids that don't wear scrum caps is astonishing really. I've always made him wear one since the age of 8 when they started contact and he doesn't think anything of it now. There's a real sense though that you're somehow not as tough if you wear one and it's very disappointing. I think they should be mandatory for everyone under 18. I see head injuries most weeks at his rugby games and training. I recently spent a fair bit of money on a new scrum cap that has been developed and reduces the severity of impacts by up to 75% compared to standard scrum caps and is worn by a few of the Irish national team now.
There is a lot less contact around the head due to changes in the tackle laws these days and I expect that to become even less once this all plays out. They have also stopped the smashing of heads when a scrum engages. Players are taken out quickly if they receive a blow to the head. I expect even back In Thompsons days he just carried on and took concussion upon concussion especially in the scrum. Concussion on concussion is where the really serious danger is.
Denis Law has now been diagnosed with mixed Dementia
Poor guy. You'd hope that lighter balls and less/no heading for youngsters will help the issue but I can see a day coming when heading is completely outlawed in football.
Hearing Dennis Law speaking now on a good day is poignant because he knows the bad days will take over in time.
"This will not be an easy journey especially for the people who love you the most,"
"I know the road ahead will be hard, demanding, painful and ever changing and so ask for understanding and patience.
"I recognise how my brain is deteriorating and how my memory evades me when I don't want it to and how this causes me distress in situations that are beyond my control.
"I do understand what is happening and that is why I want to address my situation now whilst I am able, because I know there will be days when I don't understand and I hate the thought of that right now."
Comments
There is a lot less contact around the head due to changes in the tackle laws these days and I expect that to become even less once this all plays out. They have also stopped the smashing of heads when a scrum engages. Players are taken out quickly if they receive a blow to the head. I expect even back In Thompsons days he just carried on and took concussion upon concussion especially in the scrum. Concussion on concussion is where the really serious danger is.
"This will not be an easy journey especially for the people who love you the most,"
"I know the road ahead will be hard, demanding, painful and ever changing and so ask for understanding and patience.
"I recognise how my brain is deteriorating and how my memory evades me when I don't want it to and how this causes me distress in situations that are beyond my control.
"I do understand what is happening and that is why I want to address my situation now whilst I am able, because I know there will be days when I don't understand and I hate the thought of that right now."