Steroids: Are they Rugby's Dirty Little Secret?

[ORothlain]

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Exactly..."One is all you need"...hahaha!

 

[McTallshort]

Steriods are alive and well in all levels of rugby union and rugby league. A big part of the game is strength and speed in short bursts much like sprinters. Players have to pay morgages like most other people so unless you are a big name player with a nice long contract you are always going to look for a small advantage to get a playing contract. Summer is the time to juice up and if people think otherwise they are naive.

 

[lhprop1]

I once asked a former pro (who only retired a year ago) about this he assured me he didn't no of any cases in the top leagues. He said it was probably pretty common in lower leagues but not the top level. The supplements market is very badly managed so the players have to be very careful about what they take. Everything has to be approved by a nutritionist.

Players already have loads of thinks to help with recovery (shakes, ice baths etc.). Could you name one top player who you'd say takes steroids? I can think of none who'd you say yep he's taking them. Players like Jamie Roberts are big because a mixture of genetics, good diet (with legal supplements) and hard work (and recovery afterwards of course).

Look you're not going to convince me unless you actually have a high profile case. So why not agree to disagree on this and agree that even if there was any steroid abuse it'd be nowhere near as bad as cycling.

You once asked a former pro? No pro is ever going to admit it, especially to someone he just met and is asking him about it. The standard response is "no, we don't do that". For most of them, it's even a secret between teammates.

If you believe that a professional athlete who's on the juice would straight up tell you that they're on PED's, I've got a story about a leprechaun I saw riding a unicorn down Main St last week. They were being chased by bigfoot.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

You once asked a former pro? No pro is ever going to admit it, especially to someone he just met and is asking him about it. The standard response is "no, we don't do that". For most of them, it's even a secret between teammates.

If you believe that a professional athlete who's on the juice would straight up tell you that they're on PED's, I've got a story about a leprechaun I saw riding a unicorn down Main St last week. They were being chased by bigfoot.

He was his Leinster development squad coach. (I'm pretty sure) So if it was a coach who was trying to get 25 or so players ready for pro rugby he'd at least hint to the truth.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Summer is the time to juice up and if people think otherwise they are naive.

They're tested throughout the off season though.

 

[racingmetrofan]

You once asked a former pro? No pro is ever going to admit it, especially to someone he just met and is asking him about it. The standard response is "no, we don't do that". For most of them, it's even a secret between teammates.

If you believe that a professional athlete who's on the juice would straight up tell you that they're on PED's, I've got a story about a leprechaun I saw riding a unicorn down Main St last week. They were being chased by bigfoot.

Well then how on earth do you know afaik there are no major studies on the use of performance enhancing drugs in professional rugby in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and if no one will ever tell the truth about it, where is the evidence that people do it?

 

[big ginger 8]

You once asked a former pro? No pro is ever going to admit it, especially to someone he just met and is asking him about it. The standard response is "no, we don't do that". For most of them, it's even a secret between teammates.

If you believe that a professional athlete who's on the juice would straight up tell you that they're on PED's, I've got a story about a leprechaun I saw riding a unicorn down Main St last week. They were being chased by bigfoot.

Not someone I just met but someone I'd know to a decent level who is very honest he was forwards coach for most of the year at my school before leaving to coach at Leinster where he has also coached me.

 

[lhprop1]

Well then how on earth do you know

I know because I'm a strongman competitor. My list of training partners consists of a "Who's Who" of many of the athletes you see compete on TV every year at World's Strongest Man. In a sport where there is ZERO testing and steroids are as common as warts on Kim Kardashian's cooch, even the competitors don't discuss it with each other. All discussion of it is strictly verboten. If the topic is so taboo amongst guys who obviously use them and don't get tested, it is certainly going to be hush-hush in sports where testing is common.


As I said earlier, I don't think it's nearly as rampant in European sports like rugby or soccer as it is in other sports, but it's there and it's more common than most people would like to think.

 

[lucky number 7]

Steroids are perhaps not as rampant as they would be in the states over here...but good god they are indeed used..To a degree that would surprise the majority of people I am sure.
Not to sound like an arsehole or anything I myself have contemplated the use of clebutrol for cutting coming up to this summer It is classed as a steroid however it does sweet **** all except speed up fat loss and as a result reduce the amount of muscle mass lost on a cut...steroids don't always mean getting swole in test or growth hormone.

 

[Saintjay]

I can't help but think that if a team/manager are happy or attempt to have a player chew on a blood capsule, it stands to reason other forms of cheating must go on. Even if not at a high level some people will always look for that edge.

I found a few articles on JPR Williams saying a few Welsh internationals were using in 1998, and another relating to HGH use in league. I found them interesting given the articles make it sound rife. I did take into account that it's from the press etc but I am sure JPR knows his stuff.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/drugs-in-sport-rugby-must-tackle-widespread-usage-1190486.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/rugby_union/224179.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/may/30/terry-newton-hgh-league-drugs?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

 

[welshglory]

I've heard rumours that Pierre Spies and Andy Powell used them

 

[lhprop1]

I've heard rumours that Pierre Spies and Andy Powell used them

Let's not get into rumors or accusations. If someone openly admitted it or tested positive, that's one thing.