Obsession with size?

[welsh wasp]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2020/may/13/english-youth-rugby-obsession-size-stunts-progress.

Features photo of Umaga and comments by his father.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

A very fair assessment of the current situation in English rugby.

[mike909]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2020/may/13/english-youth-rugby-obsession-size-stunts-progress.

Features photo of Umaga and comments by his father.

That's really quite sad - but - I think an issue we're all aware of - just thinking about our ex winger who was too small, but if he'd been eligible for any of the other 6Ns, would have had 50 caps.

Bulking without the frame to take it just - imo and that of my physio! - makes you more prone to injury and likely to have a shorter career.

The issues we've discussed about the breakdown and how the game has been played includes the impact of player size and issues about being injury prone. And if there is any way that we can end up with a quicker game and on average lighter players - it will for me - be a bonus.

[Neils]

Can't argue with that in the slightest. I wonder how much of that was aimed at Wasps.

[coddy]

Not sure if he was implying Wasps were putting undue pressure on Jacob or not but was the reason he left Tigers Academy and came to ours due to Tigers thinking he wasn't big enough?

[Raggs]

I think they all thought he'd be bigger given his genetics. Which is why they wanted him at 12, and why there was the pressure to get larger. I suppose everyone just assumed it was in him. Doesn't look like it is, but he's more than good enough at 10, so it all works out.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I'd love to see a maximum squad weight introduced. You can bulk up your tight 5, but only by having smaller backs.

You want a 6'7" lock? Sure thing, but you need to lose 10kg from somewhere else...

[Heathen]

I remember talking to the father of a former Wasps junior academy player, when his son was accepted by the club. At the first meeting with parents, the coaches were saying that the players would need specific diets, mostly with aim of bulking up. Weights became the norm. Shape noticeably changed. Added 15 kg in weight. Nate came to us from NZ. He was a revelation in his first season. The toll of the laborious weights regime then began to take it’s toll and his performances began to drop off. I must admit that I rather pleased when the news broke that Dan Baugh was going.

[backdoc]

"You want a 6'7" lock? Sure thing, but you need to lose 10kg from somewhere else..."

I love this - a 'beef' cap as as well as a salary cap. Weigh the starting 15 of every team at a random number of games during the season, take the average and reduce it by 5% for the first season, 10% for the next.

Better hide the threads on Barbeary and Alo

[Hymenoptera]

I'd love to see a maximum squad weight introduced. You can bulk up your tight 5, but only by having smaller backs.

You want a 6'7" lock? Sure thing, but you need to lose 10kg from somewhere else...

Implementing discrimination? Good luck with that.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I'd love to see a maximum squad weight introduced. You can bulk up your tight 5, but only by having smaller backs.

You want a 6'7" lock? Sure thing, but you need to lose 10kg from somewhere else...

Implementing discrimination? Good luck with that.

Why discrimination?

[DGP Wasp]

I'd love to see a maximum squad weight introduced. You can bulk up your tight 5, but only by having smaller backs.

You want a 6'7" lock? Sure thing, but you need to lose 10kg from somewhere else...

Implementing discrimination? Good luck with that.

Works in boxing. And all combat sports come to that.

[Hymenoptera]

I'd love to see a maximum squad weight introduced. You can bulk up your tight 5, but only by having smaller backs.

You want a 6'7" lock? Sure thing, but you need to lose 10kg from somewhere else...

Implementing discrimination? Good luck with that.

Works in boxing. And all combat sports come to that.

I should have added a smiley for context..it isn't really but given its much easier to bulk up than down, implementing quota's would remove the opportunity for some to be considered.
Boxing and MMA have weight classes, meaning you have choices, so its not the same.

[westwaleswasp]

Forgive the minor diversion but we are not the only sport having had similar discussions about the way strength is prioritised over skill in the younger players. Soccer in the UK had for years had a scenario where our youngsters move onto an 11 a side pitch too early,  when continental counterparts are playing on smaller pitches. The result was that the bigger and stronger teams won, and long ball was encouraged. Soccer has tried to reverse that by looking at smaller pitches where control became more important and in early years things like enforced retreat- and that fed to top level as teams play more from the back. In rugby's case it is hard for me to to envisage how they could change the culture-coaches will always be attracted to results and size advantages help that-but I feel some drastic measures and visionaries are needed because if the next Wade, Shane Williams or Jacob Umaga is lost because of the attitudes of coaches we will be poorer for it.

[wasps]

The thing I always remember when this discussion comes up is that about 10-15 years ago we went into a 6 Nations tournament, and all the talk was about how hard the Scotish team had hit the gym over the previous 12 months


They obviously didn't go on to win the tournament, but they out-muscled every team and wreaked havoc at the breakdown as they were physically bigger all around the park.



The are real world gains that can be achieved by getting stronger and they're often easier to achieve individually than improving skill when you're already a professional player