This week one of my old school pals sent me a photograph of the old school gymnasium that was used for physical education classes. The big change is the gym equipment that was not used when we had PE classes. The gym these days is for the sole purpose of rugby players and not for the rest of the school.
The emphasis on strength and conditioning is the main focus for the entire 12 months and the sport is no longer seasonal. What happened to playing a sport for the enjoyment factor and only if you show promise then take it more seriously.
When I was playing first division club rugby back before it was a professional sport I never visited a gym for strength work. The fitness and strength work was done outside whether it was carrying a wooden log/pole or a rucksack/back pack full of bricks and running 10km. Gym work does not make you match fit and guarantee anyone who trains outside will be stronger and tougher than a gym bunny.
There were reports of bulking supplements and the high use of steroids at schoolboy level and you can understand why if the attention is weight training. I witnessed players who I played with double in size within a 6 month period and it never made them a better player. The only benefit was their bodies recovered far quicker and never experienced the pain and suffering the drug free players had after matches or heavy training sessions.
If my son was still at school I would not be pushing him to play rugby as the sport is no longer the same sport playing with your school mates. Schools want to out do each other by any means even if they do not have the players. The school rugby program is televised live in South Africa and is a much bigger deal with major jersey sponsorships available. A wining team filled with steroids is what I see taking place and kids are going to be tempted to do whatever it takes to make it in the sport.
Money is flowing around the schools that are successful and all the schools are trying to earn their share. The days of enjoying the sport has changed to winning at all costs which would be off putting to players who are considering taking up the sport. Player welfare has to be put under question as school boy rugby has to be treated differently due to that is when kids bodies are still growing.
Bigger, bulkier school kids playing rugby will only result in more serious injuries like forms of brain damage via concussions. The way the sport has evolved in my thoughts is that this is like having 16 year old's training like professionals instead of this happening when they are 20 or 21. This is not a kids body developing naturally and why I am dead against this.