Health Experts Want Government to Ban Rugby Tackles in British Schools

The injuries that children sustain from rugby tackles have prompted health experts and doctors in the U.K. to ask government to ban it in British schools. While the advocacy of these doctors to call for ban on rugby may be for the interest of the children, administrators of the game, however, see otherwise.

A report made by Yahoo News stated that these doctors and health experts, including academic experts, wrote an open letter to the ministers of government expressing their adverse views on government plans regarding the increase of participation of different schools in rugby. They said that children sustain injuries during a game because of tackling. Such concern led doctors to call for ban of rugby.

The letter stated that, "The majority of all injuries occur during contact or collision, such as the tackle and the scrum." It further explained that, "These injuries, which include fractures, ligamentous tears, dislocated shoulders, spinal injuries and head injuries, can have short-term, life-long and life-ending consequences for children."

The Guardian stated that more than 70 health experts signed the open letter, which called for schools to switch to a non-contact version of rugby. They also criticized the drive of the government to link English schools with rugby clubs, in order to increase rugby participation.

With regards to the doctors' call for a ban on rugby, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said that it has taken the proper precautionary measures, and that it is extremely serious when it comes to children's safety. It also pointed out the benefits that are brought about by a game of rugby. These benefits include an increased self-esteem, better confidence, learning self-discipline and fostering teamwork.

Aside from this, it has also introduced various levels to the game. The under-nine age group only plays tag and don't do tackles. Thereafter, tackling is introduced. Other plays like scrums and lineouts are introduced to the older age group.

A statement issued by World Rugby, the governing body for the sport, stated, "The number one cause of injury for children is unsupervised activity or playing, not sports, while sport itself only accounts for one in six head injury admissions to hospital."