Does Rugby...?

Question

Help you with football? That's pretty much why i'm interrested in playing.

Answer 1

Um...no. Two entirely different sports, two entirely different objectives. In terms of pain management, rugby will help. You play rugby with no pads, no fear, and what during your first game appears to be no rules. Going from playing rugby to football, you're not going to be in constant pain from being tackled because you've done it without pads. In skills, rugby isn't going to help you. Football is a segmented sport. Some people tackle, some block, some kick. In rugby, you're doing it all and then some. Tackling techniques are also very different in the two sports. If you jumped out on a football field, you're not going to tackle the same as if you're on the pitch.

Also, rugby has a lot of injuries. I don't know statistics but I would guess infinitely more in rugby than football. If you're hurt, you generally keep playing. I blew out my knee last year and I still can't run because of it. If you seriously want to play football, play football.

You need to love the socials, the injuries, and the game to play rugby. If you're doing it with another goal in mind, you're going to hurt yourself or someone else.

Answer 2

Again, I repeat what other answerers have said - are you talking about American Football or soccer?

Rugby's not going to help you much with soccer - ironically the opposite is true though - if you're good at soccer then you can bring many of those skills into rugby if you play in a position that requires you to use the boot, such as fly half. The timing of kicking a rugby ball is essential to get distance on your kicks and a good footballer is likely to have an instinctive understanding of that timing.

Aside from this the other things that rugby can do to improve the skills of a soccer player are :

Balance, reading of the game, establishment of calm under pressure, ability to hold the ball up and physical conditioning (ie. if you're used to getting knocked around on a rugby field you're less likely to roll around everytime you're brushed by an oponent on a football field).

I play rugby seriously and soccer for fun and I certainly don't go out there for a ruck when I play soccer but I'm always amazed at how pathetic soccer players are as soon as they're given a bit of a knock or a bump; there's a big scene and people put on faces that would totally terrify me if I were playing a contact sport against them but ultimately it's all hot air and at the end of the day; if it does "kick off", I'm not too fussed, these things happen and I don't mind a spot of Queensbury's rules in the heat of the moment, I'll even buy you a beer once you've cleaned yourself up.

As for American Football and rugby - they're comparable in terms of the contact and the athletic skills required but rugby requires every player to have a degree of polyvalence whereas gridiron football is more specific in terms of the role of each individual on the field.

At the highest level this specificity and polyvalence in the respective sports means that an NFL American football running backs, for example, have the athletic abilities of an olympic sprinter combined with the power and physical conditioning of a rugby player whereas the equivalent position in rugby (winger) is not going to be as quick but will have more allround skills in the whole game itself.

In terms of injuries, I don't have statistics at hand but I'd hazard a guess that football, rugby and NFL football carry around the same number of injuries but you're more likely to get neck, head, rib and shoulder injuries in rugby and american football whereas your injuries in football will be mostly, though not exclusively, sustained from the waist down.

Answer 3

I coached a combined HS boys rugby team. One footbal coach allowed his players to play and one did not. The coach who allowed his players to play went on to win the state championship the following season. He now makes rugby mandatory off season training. And the other coach is still looking for a winning season.

Answer 4

at my school 80% of the boy who play football stop and just play rugbynow! so ya

Answer 5

im not saying it will help. But rugby is a great sport. I dont know if you are talking about soccer or American football??? but if you compare the amount of injuries from rugby with soccer there is no significant difference but some injuries tend to be more seriousin rugby. Though its a great sport and you should play.

Answer 6

If you are talking about American Football then YES.  Alot of people who post on the rugby section are from Europe or Australia so they may think you are talking about soccer.  Your football coach may not like it but give one full season a shot and I guarentee you will have better endurance and tackling skill/form.  Or if you are a WR/RB you will definatly improve your agility.