Old v Modern Day Rugby Pads
If I only had a pound coin every time my Dad said “You know, in my day we never wore pads and only half the guys had gum shields!” I never disagree with him but I then go on to remind him the game of rugby is very different now to when he played, and even in the last ten years it’s changed massively.

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In the mid 90’s a lot of professional teams had a very loose policy with regards to strength and conditioning with many players simply not doing weights. Yes a lot of players did weights but there was little structure and very few experts involved in the game back then. These days it’s all very different – most professional teams have a least two full- time strength and conditioning coaches with the task of producing the biggest, strongest, fastest, fittest and most powerful athletes they can. As a result the game has become faster, harder and much more physical, with less people talking about making tackles and more about making ‘hits!’

My Dad was a 6’1” fullback weighing approximately 70 Kg. Back in the 1970’s this was big but these days he would be eaten alive by under 20’s. It’s no surprise the demands on the body have been raised and players therefore now take provisions to protect themselves. I’m afraid the best kit in the world will never stop all the injuries in rugby, but they can help prevent some. One of the best ways to get fit and improve your rugby is to keep fit and stay on the training field rather than the physio bed.

Without doubt wearing shoulder pads and headguards will take some of the impact out of what is a fierce collision sport. I hate getting injured and even more so when I’m training, so my advice would be pad up and stay away from from that physio bed!

The two pictures are of old fashioned American football pads and some modern rugby shoulder pads. I think it’s fair to say just like rugby itself body amour has come a long way!!

Old Shoulder Pads

Modern Shoulder Pads