John Winter It’s been a hot topic over beers for decades: does American football or rugby have the biggest hits and the hardest tackles. Well, now we have academic studies that measured the force of impact in both sports. Let’s take a look at how that’s done, and what are the answers. Using G-Force To Measure Hits … Read more
Hookers throw into the lineout because they tend to be the shortest forwards on the team and are therefore not used to jump to catch the ball. As they tend to be stronger than backs, they are also more effective in throwing into the lineout and being in position to join rolling mauls. These days, … Read more
G-force is used to measure the force of impact of rugby tackles. Two studies of amateur players found that they experience an average impact of 21-22 g when tackled. The hardest tackle was clocked at 205 g. A tackle in a Six Nations match between Ireland and Wales in 2014 measured 27 g. This article … Read more
Which American rugby player is so famous that all MLR fans know their name? Which U.S. player would be recognized by rugby fans in Europe or down in the Southern Hemisphere? We’ll start with the fifth most famous player and work our way up to the top. You may not agree with us, but we’ll … Read more
So much of the excitement in Sevens comes from wide passes and amazing runs that evade defenders. It seems that kicking the ball doesn’t play a big part in open play. There is far more hoofing the ball in other versions of rugby. But that doesn’t mean that players aren’t allowed to kick in Sevens … Read more
The International Rugby Board announced in 1995 that rugby was now a professional sport. So, it seems obvious that English rugby went pro in that year. But the truth is more complicated. Before 1995, there were hidden benefits and payments in English club rugby in an era known as “shamateurism”. And after 1995, the England … Read more
Who are the greatest American rugby players to have played for the US Eagles? Who had the greatest skills? Who contributed the most to American rugby? Let’s start with the sixth greatest player and work our way up to the top. Cut Off Point For Our Choices Of Greatest U.S. Rugby Players We ruled out … Read more
Which All Blacks are so famous that even rugby fans outside New Zealand know their names? Which New Zealand player is so famous that they are recognized by people who don’t follow rugby? We’ve picked a shortlist of players that every rugby fan would know. Then we measured them on how famous they are beyond … Read more
Sevens rugby is played at college, club, and international tournaments throughout the year. The elite players train as hard as any other professional athletes. So, are these players earning a living from the sport? The answer is no in most countries, but some countries offer high-earning contracts. This article looks at professional contracts around the … Read more
Payers in the club and college rugby sevens tournaments play as amateurs. However, American sevens players have the opportunity to get professional contracts when they are selected for the U.S. national men’s and women’s sevens squads. In addition, a new sevens domestic league was launched with paid contracts at different levels. So, how much money … Read more