View Full Version : Body Armour - To wear or not to wear?
Swansea99
29-03-07, 03:28 PM
Hello again,
I was wondering how many people here actually use body armour while playing rugby.
Also, if someone has used the Flexitop Plus armour by Canterbury, is it a good product or should I stay away from it?
SaintsFan_Webby
29-03-07, 05:28 PM
I've worn body armour since I was about 12, but then again I've never really had the biggest upper body physique.
Just don't expect it to prevent every injury, as a have managed to dislocate my shoulder several times while wearing it.
Avoid Kooga padding, it's crap.
The Canterbury one you talk about looks good, although I use one of the recent Gilbert releases myself, which seems to do the job.
Just depends on how much protection you want as to what you go for. The Flexitop looks good if you just want protection across the shoulders, although if you play in the forwards you may want a set with padding on the biceps, sternum etc.
All depends on personal preference of flexibility vs protection.
allblacksfreak
29-03-07, 08:05 PM
Hey, when I was playing age group games up to my U-16s I didn't give a rats ass about body armours, but then when I started playing U-19s and senior rugby... damn those things are like the best rugby invention ever! so please use it!
Never have, never will. But that's not to say you shouldn't, if you feel it's necessary.
Gay-Guy
29-03-07, 10:16 PM
Every person is different.....they do give added protection if you don't mind the constriction of movement. That is what you have to weigh up.
For some people it brings piece-of-mind.
allblacksfreak
01-04-07, 07:46 PM
well, my situation demands me to wear them.. my left shoulder isn't exactly at top shape after dislocating it.. so...
lol if you have a bung shoulder then shoulder pads aren't going to stop anything from happening. The only time shoulder pads will do anything for you is when you're shoulder is relatively strong and it will soften the impact a small bit for an impact.
Ropes67
12-04-07, 04:38 AM
it is true people are different but i beleive that the pads are for people that have had major injury to their shoulders
they are not ment to be used like in american footbal
some of my mates have sworn that you can hit anyone as hard as you want and u can barely feel a thing
so if u want to go ahead but ill never get caught dead in those
it is true people are different but i beleive that the pads are for people that have had major injury to their shoulders
they are not ment to be used like in american footbal
some of my mates have sworn that you can hit anyone as hard as you want and u can barely feel a thing
so if u want to go ahead but ill never get caught dead in those [/b]
Absolute idiocy. Shoulder pads won't stop you from feeling the impact of a tackle.
The only thing that will ease the impact is technique. The better the technique you have, the less the impact will hurt you and the more the impact will hurt the player you are tackling.
robinweide
12-04-07, 01:15 PM
<div class='quotemain'> it is true people are different but i beleive that the pads are for people that have had major injury to their shoulders
they are not ment to be used like in american footbal
some of my mates have sworn that you can hit anyone as hard as you want and u can barely feel a thing
so if u want to go ahead but ill never get caught dead in those [/b]
Absolute idiocy. Shoulder pads won't stop you from feeling the impact of a tackle.
The only thing that will ease the impact is technique. The better the technique you have, the less the impact will hurt you and the more the impact will hurt the player you are tackling.
[/b][/quote]
I agree. :P
<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> it is true people are different but i beleive that the pads are for people that have had major injury to their shoulders
they are not ment to be used like in american footbal
some of my mates have sworn that you can hit anyone as hard as you want and u can barely feel a thing
so if u want to go ahead but ill never get caught dead in those [/b]
Absolute idiocy. Shoulder pads won't stop you from feeling the impact of a tackle.
The only thing that will ease the impact is technique. The better the technique you have, the less the impact will hurt you and the more the impact will hurt the player you are tackling.
[/b][/quote]
I agree. :P [/b][/quote]
Smart man! +1 rep for that, my all knowing friend.
robinweide
12-04-07, 07:49 PM
<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> it is true people are different but i beleive that the pads are for people that have had major injury to their shoulders
they are not ment to be used like in american footbal
some of my mates have sworn that you can hit anyone as hard as you want and u can barely feel a thing
so if u want to go ahead but ill never get caught dead in those [/b]
Absolute idiocy. Shoulder pads won't stop you from feeling the impact of a tackle.
The only thing that will ease the impact is technique. The better the technique you have, the less the impact will hurt you and the more the impact will hurt the player you are tackling.
[/b][/quote]
I agree. :P [/b][/quote]
Smart man! +1 rep for that, my all knowing friend.
[/b][/quote]
I'm like yoda...
Alltough not many, my words are a fountain of wisdom :P ;)
<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> it is true people are different but i beleive that the pads are for people that have had major injury to their shoulders
they are not ment to be used like in american footbal
some of my mates have sworn that you can hit anyone as hard as you want and u can barely feel a thing
so if u want to go ahead but ill never get caught dead in those [/b]
Absolute idiocy. Shoulder pads won't stop you from feeling the impact of a tackle.
The only thing that will ease the impact is technique. The better the technique you have, the less the impact will hurt you and the more the impact will hurt the player you are tackling.
[/b][/quote]
I agree. :P [/b][/quote]
Smart man! +1 rep for that, my all knowing friend.
[/b][/quote]
I'm like yoda...
Alltough not many, my words are a fountain of wisdom :P ;) [/b][/quote]
Remember mate, I was the one who said it and you just agreed :P
robinweide
13-04-07, 12:32 PM
<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> it is true people are different but i beleive that the pads are for people that have had major injury to their shoulders
they are not ment to be used like in american footbal
some of my mates have sworn that you can hit anyone as hard as you want and u can barely feel a thing
so if u want to go ahead but ill never get caught dead in those [/b]
Absolute idiocy. Shoulder pads won't stop you from feeling the impact of a tackle.
The only thing that will ease the impact is technique. The better the technique you have, the less the impact will hurt you and the more the impact will hurt the player you are tackling.
[/b][/quote]
I agree. :P [/b][/quote]
Smart man! +1 rep for that, my all knowing friend.
[/b][/quote]
I'm like yoda...
Alltough not many, my words are a fountain of wisdom :P ;) [/b][/quote]
Remember mate, I was the one who said it and you just agreed :P
[/b][/quote]
I know ;)
Just providing support for your statement ;)
<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> it is true people are different but i beleive that the pads are for people that have had major injury to their shoulders
they are not ment to be used like in american footbal
some of my mates have sworn that you can hit anyone as hard as you want and u can barely feel a thing
so if u want to go ahead but ill never get caught dead in those [/b]
Absolute idiocy. Shoulder pads won't stop you from feeling the impact of a tackle.
The only thing that will ease the impact is technique. The better the technique you have, the less the impact will hurt you and the more the impact will hurt the player you are tackling.
[/b][/quote]
I agree. :P [/b][/quote]
Smart man! +1 rep for that, my all knowing friend.
[/b][/quote]
I'm like yoda...
Alltough not many, my words are a fountain of wisdom :P ;) [/b][/quote]
Remember mate, I was the one who said it and you just agreed :P
[/b][/quote]
I know ;)
Just providing support for your statement ;) [/b][/quote]
Ahhhh that's the way son!
(hmmm maybe this should be locked now...)
SFRugby
19-04-07, 03:19 AM
Rugby's_a_Religion Posted Apr 12 2007, 06:34 AM
QUOTE(Ropes67 @ Apr 12 2007, 02:38 PM) *
it is true people are different but i beleive that the pads are for people that have had major injury to their shoulders
they are not ment to be used like in american footbal
some of my mates have sworn that you can hit anyone as hard as you want and u can barely feel a thing
so if u want to go ahead but ill never get caught dead in those
Absolute idiocy. Shoulder pads won't stop you from feeling the impact of a tackle.
The only thing that will ease the impact is technique. The better the technique you have, the less the impact will hurt you and the more the impact will hurt the player you are tackling.[/b]
That is true. Even when my team practices with bags i can feel the impact of the tackle. A piece of thin body armor wont protect you from the impact of the tackle. Armor is used to soften up the impact. Even armor in warfare is used to soften the weapon up so that it doesn't inflict too much damage upon you.
so what is the best make at the moment?
so what is the best make at the moment? [/b]
Ill forget the question of whether to wear or not for a second...CANTERBURY in the last year or so have brought out a great range, and RUGBYTECH are always good.
TRUE LEGND
09-05-07, 08:48 AM
This is what Colin Meads said to a group of us when in Camp....
"At a young age you should learn to tackle without pads, week in week out getting your arms blue berry colored hit and bruised up actually hardens your upper body. He went on to say.... After continuously tackling tackling and more tackling the pain actually ease's till you cant feel anything, then you discover calluses on your shoulders and chest and that forms the natural body Armour....
Of course i never really got to see that on anyone..lol Anyway I'm sure if theres some of you out there thats got some funny story's from when they were in camp Reps
I wear body armour for most of my matches...
Tackling with your shoulders feels weird with pads, kinda feels like you didn't tackle them at all.
After the match you know you did actually tackle because you notice the marks left behind by the pads. Look like frickin stretch marks! :(
Not a good look
EDIT: Funny story, team-mate of mine turned up to annual club dinner dressed in a suit...... and shoulder pads.
This is what Colin Meads said to a group of us when in Camp....
"At a young age you should learn to tackle without pads, week in week out getting your arms blue berry colored hit and bruised up actually hardens your upper body. He went on to say.... After continuously tackling tackling and more tackling the pain actually ease's till you cant feel anything, then you discover calluses on your shoulders and chest and that forms the natural body Armour....
Of course i never really got to see that on anyone..lol Anyway I'm sure if theres some of you out there thats got some funny story's from when they were in camp Reps [/b]
I think he was just trying to say to everyone don't be soft, and put hits on no matter what and as time goes on it'll get easier.
i would probably wear shoulder pads if i was playing at the 10 rather than the 9 plus if you wear them on our team your considered a pussy!! haha.
i would probably wear shoulder pads if i was playing at the 10 rather than the 9 plus if you wear them on our team your considered a pussy!! haha. [/b]
bah
TRUE LEGND
13-05-07, 06:05 AM
My friend wore those hard plastic B.M.X bike pads at 1 game was very funny it looked like grid iron pads.... Could only imagine running in to that
What a lot of people don't realise is that in Rugby Union, shoulder pads with added in sternum padding is illegal, as well as compression short/torpedos with padding.
TRUE LEGND
13-05-07, 06:28 AM
What a lot of people don't realise is that in Rugby Union, shoulder pads with added in sternum padding is illegal, as well as compression short/torpedos with padding.
[/b]
In NZ they dont worrie about people wearing pads especially if they have injurys... I think you will find cracking down on people not wearing mouth guards is a bigger issue
Padding doesn't help any kind of injury apart from minor bruising.
Corywalker
13-05-07, 07:05 AM
My view on body armor (only been playing rugby for 2 years) is that if you want to wear it, go ahead. There are many reaons why you would and wouldn't wear it.
Why you would:
- As stated before, for brusing or sore shoulders/chest muscles
- Maybe it makes you feel 'safer' as a state of mind (when i wear a scrum cap, i seem to use my head a lot more physically
- Indimidation, maybe your small in size, so you can wear the pads to make you look 'larger'
Why you wouldn't:
- People might, possibly, insult/make fun of you for wearing pads, thus making you a 'wimp'
- Decreased movement of your upper body and arms
Just my views.
TRUE LEGND
13-05-07, 07:47 AM
Padding doesn't help any kind of injury apart from minor bruising.
[/b]
Yeah the padding actually helps absorb the shock especially if your coming off a shoulder or collar bone injury. You'd want to compfort and pad it until it heels as much as possible. Sort of like X spring bok Joost van der Westhuizen who had a shoulder injury wore a shoulder pad on his lift shoulder until it heeled.
Also i found when i was playing and like someone previously said, it decreases your movements and you find you get very HOT quicker, and your radiator over heats resulting in fatigue. Benefits are, you tend to sprint into the tackle alot harder knowing you have protection there
As I have said previously in this topic: For some people it brings piece-of-mind
If you have a bung shoulder then shoulder pads aren't going to stop anything from happening. The only time shoulder pads will do anything for you is when you're shoulder is relatively strong and it will soften the impact minutely.
The only thing that will ease the impact noticably is technique. The better the technique you have, the less the impact will hurt you and the more the impact will hurt the player you are tackling.
TRUE LEGND
13-05-07, 08:02 AM
As I have said previously in this topic: For some people it brings piece-of-mind
If you have a bung shoulder then shoulder pads aren't going to stop anything from happening. The only time shoulder pads will do anything for you is when you're shoulder is relatively strong and it will soften the impact minutely.
The only thing that will ease the impact noticably is technique. The better the technique you have, the less the impact will hurt you and the more the impact will hurt the player you are tackling.
[/b]
But what happens if your protecting an injury on medical grounds and you have to wear pads by doctors orders And Ive seen that plenty of times where I'm from not cause your technique failed you in tackling but injuring your self at work... Also the rugby pads here are IRB approved labeled so in contrast its not actually illegal to wear them in rugby
These are the IRB approved rugby pads
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/6749/vest2me6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
I didn't say rugby pads were illegal. I said certain pads were illegal and I outlined the type. Please read exactly what I say and then proceed to comment :)...Actually, i've just realised that have within the last year or two, the IRB has started to approve certain pads such as the pic you found...so I stand corrected.
Oh and what do you mean "what happens if your protecting an injury on medical grounds and you have to wear pads by doctors orders"...do I really have to spell out what they should do?! They should listen to their bloody doctor and wear them!
TRUE LEGND
13-05-07, 08:53 AM
Oh and what do you mean "what happens if your protecting an injury on medical grounds and you have to wear pads by doctors orders"...do I really have to spell out what they should do?! They should listen to their bloody doctor and wear them!
[/b]
It answer's your paragraph 2 question about the bung shoulder...
Aslo who told you sternum padding is illegal, as well as compression short/torpedos with padding is also illegal?? thats utter rubbish
candybum
13-05-07, 09:22 AM
i dont wear because simply... i've always put down american football for wearing pads... i didnt want to contradict(?) myself... plus it always felt better without pads
It answer's your paragraph 2 question about the bung shoulder...
Aslo who told you sternum padding is illegal, as well as compression short/torpedos with padding is also illegal?? thats utter rubbish [/b]
HA! It's not utter rubbish. I'll tell you what's utter rubbish...YOU! you're a complete f***tard!
I said that I stood corrected but you decided to take it to the next level and insult me.
Sternum padding was outlawed originally because certain people would put steel bars in it and people (including the wearers, but more so the people being hit) got injured. However as I said, I stand corrected, and certain sternum padded shoulder pads are now IRB approved.
I challenge you to find IRB approved compression shorts with padding in the thighs. If you can, "bah" will disappear from this board.
My View:
I'm a small guy play scrum half. 168cm,80kg and i have never worn pads because i think that you are so up for a game you have so much adrenilin flowing through you it just takes you over. When i tackle i don't think, just do then think "Why the F**K did i tackle him.It's all about heart at the end of the day for rugby players, how much you want it. But honistly i think it is part of rugby getting your body up to a certain standard to take all that is thrown at you on a rugby pitch.
SaintsFan_Webby
13-05-07, 11:47 AM
I'm a small guy play scrum half. 168cm,80kg and i have never worn pads because i think that you are so up for a game you have so much adrenilin flowing through you it just takes you over. When i tackle i don't think, just do then think "Why the F**K did i tackle him.It's all about heart at the end of the day for rugby players, how much you want it. But honistly i think it is part of rugby getting your body up to a certain standard to take all that is thrown at you on a rugby pitch.
[/b]
I disagree.
I've worn pads almost all the time I've been playing, and while I'll readily admit that defense isn't my favourite part of the game, it isn't because I would shirk my tackles without them.
I've had massive shoulder problems in recent years, and without padding I wouldn't feel confident playing at all. While I realise perfectly well it padding does not make you invincible, I do think it can give you sub-conscious confidence when coming back after injury. It will also physically aid you to some extent. While it won't prevent all injury, as long as you maintain correct technique it will absorb some of the impact.
I don't buy into padding around the arms and chest particularly, because from a personal point of view I like to have as much mobility as possible due to the positions I've played.
I also wear a headguard and I have a similar view on that. I'd rather not wear one to be honest, but I badly ripped my ear once and was advised to play with one from then on. If wearing extra protection is what I need to do in order to play then so be it, I've no worry about being thought of as softer than another person if they choose not to.
I see your point,but even if i got injured i would never wear padding:
1. I need the movment
2. I got the confidence in my body.
The only way i would wear it is if a doctor told me to.
But at the end of the day it's your own view.
If it brings piece of mind to a player, and boosts the confidence of a player, then so be it.
It's all about confidence (and those f***ing marks on your shoulders)
Yep...if you don't have ruck marks around your shoulder/head region, and you're a loosie/prop then you haven't done enough!
Yeah,some props don't wear any!
TRUE LEGND
14-05-07, 05:03 AM
OH just like to apologize if you thought the words "outta rubbish"offended you... Ive actually being called worse then that like a complete f***tard! but taken it on the chin :P
I challenge you to find IRB approved compression shorts with padding in the thighs. If you can, "bah" will disappear from this board.
[/b]
Nah mate dont know jack about the IRB laws on that, only know from experience when i was playing
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