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Tarlem knows my MO.
I played Rugby for a long time, 15 seasons or so.
I played junior and high school football and then played 3 years of semi-pro football. I'd rate myself an average player at both sports. I tried to focus on the mental aspects of the game, but stuck my nose in there and got very physical when that was what was needed.
Both sports are very physical and the contact can be devastating at times. In general, there is more hitting in football because football allows contact away from the ball. In rugby, blocking is illegal and is a penalty called obstruction. In football, some of the hardest hits I sustained occurred while "forcing" a running play to the inside by hitting the blocker early and turning the play back to your defensive support.
Tackling and forcing plays in football are a different technique than tackling in rugby. In fact, it took me a couple seasons to learn how to make sound rugby tackles. You truly feel naked without those shoulder pads and a helmet. In rugger, you must learn how to make a form tackle by leading with your chest and being very conscious of where you place your head. Ruby uses a wrap and roll technique, while football tackles tend to be more violent. Sometimes.
In my years in both sports, I've been carried off the field, out cold due to the effects of a violent collision. Cold-cocked is cold-cocked, no matter how you get there. In general, rugby is a more mental game. If you study the sport, the times when you have to sell out and clean somebody out is less in a rugger match than a football game. Football has more contact because of the blocking.
That said, when I would come up from fullback to tackle some young outside center running free with 10 - 15 yards of steam, there were times I wished I had a helmet and shoulder pads to help me deliver the blow.
There is a funny thing about both sports is the attitude of the players regarding the toughness of their respective sports. Football players tend to give the ruggers props for playing without all the protective gear. Many ruggers are disdainful of American football players, deriding the footballers use of their equipment.
When asked to comment on either sport I'd have to say that both of them are very violent and have their moments of impending doom. Sometimes you find yourself in a jackpot in either sport and you are very happy if you can get up and walk around the next day.
I played Rugby for a long time, 15 seasons or so.
I played junior and high school football and then played 3 years of semi-pro football. I'd rate myself an average player at both sports. I tried to focus on the mental aspects of the game, but stuck my nose in there and got very physical when that was what was needed.
Both sports are very physical and the contact can be devastating at times. In general, there is more hitting in football because football allows contact away from the ball. In rugby, blocking is illegal and is a penalty called obstruction. In football, some of the hardest hits I sustained occurred while "forcing" a running play to the inside by hitting the blocker early and turning the play back to your defensive support.
Tackling and forcing plays in football are a different technique than tackling in rugby. In fact, it took me a couple seasons to learn how to make sound rugby tackles. You truly feel naked without those shoulder pads and a helmet. In rugger, you must learn how to make a form tackle by leading with your chest and being very conscious of where you place your head. Ruby uses a wrap and roll technique, while football tackles tend to be more violent. Sometimes.
In my years in both sports, I've been carried off the field, out cold due to the effects of a violent collision. Cold-cocked is cold-cocked, no matter how you get there. In general, rugby is a more mental game. If you study the sport, the times when you have to sell out and clean somebody out is less in a rugger match than a football game. Football has more contact because of the blocking.
That said, when I would come up from fullback to tackle some young outside center running free with 10 - 15 yards of steam, there were times I wished I had a helmet and shoulder pads to help me deliver the blow.
There is a funny thing about both sports is the attitude of the players regarding the toughness of their respective sports. Football players tend to give the ruggers props for playing without all the protective gear. Many ruggers are disdainful of American football players, deriding the footballers use of their equipment.
When asked to comment on either sport I'd have to say that both of them are very violent and have their moments of impending doom. Sometimes you find yourself in a jackpot in either sport and you are very happy if you can get up and walk around the next day.
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