1
Playing behind closed doors won't be a panacea for rugby claims Scotland team doctor
Scotland team doctor James Robson has warned that sport may have a long wait before healthcare capacity can facilitate its return.
ADVERTISEMENT
Rugby competitions including the Guinness PRO14 are looking at ways of finishing their seasons following the lockdown, while England’s Premier League football clubs are among those to discuss playing behind closed doors in the next two months.
But Robson has warned that elite sport as well as amateur may have to wait a significant time before the NHS can cope with injured players on top of coronavirus victims and other patients who have had treatment delayed amid the pandemic.
The long-serving Scotland medic has heard first hand how the health service has had to adapt quickly from his GP wife and part-time medical colleagues in the Scottish Rugby Union.
“Taking matches behind closed doors simply takes away the logistical problem of having a crowd,” Robson said.
“What it doesn’t change is the actual physical nature of the game, or indeed any sport, and the risk of injury.
“We can’t contemplate going behind closed doors until we get some semblance of normality back to the NHS and private care providers.
ADVERTISEMENT
“You can widen it to any sport. Physical activity is now very much a key strand of maintaining population health. It helps with reducing obesity, cancer, diseases like diabetes.
“But with any form of physical activity comes the risk of injury and what we have to balance is the good part of physical activity versus the risk of injury.
“It’s not just elite sportsmen and women who are prone to injury but people at other levels.
“Professional sport might help the psyche of the nation because it gives the population something to focus on and something to watch but everyday sport has a part to play in the fabric of our society and it’s what we can do to help those sports get back.
“It might be that what we have had is not what we will have in the near future or indeed the medium or long term.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Robson, who is also the SRU’s chief medical officer, added: “Within rugby we have a number of part-time medics who have normal jobs with the NHS.
“The normalisation of the NHS is vital for us as many of my colleagues who look after my rugby teams actually look after NHS patients as well.”
Robson also warned that rugby players will need a significant period of training before resuming match action.
“You can’t just simply rush people back,” he said. “In the same way you have a graduated return from concussion, we would need a graduated return.
“When they come back from summer holidays they have a period of individual training, a period of group training and then back into contact.
“It would require a form of pre-season but it would depend on how long the lockdown goes on for.
“You would be talking around four weeks to be ready, perhaps five weeks but as the lockdown goes on, that may increase. Any typical pre-season evolves over six to eight weeks.”
Press Association
Comments on RugbyPass
Jacobsen will definitely be in the 23
2 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
2 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
5 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
5 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
4 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to comments