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Incredible Look At How Rugby Players Have Advanced Physically


phart

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Saw the below on a Sports Science blog, just starting to read it myself but should be interesting for some of the Rugby followers

"One thing that is very noticeable in this years world cup is the condition of the players. The vast majority of players from 1 to 15 are in peak physical condition thanks to endless of hours in the gym and on the training pitch.

The evolution of rugby has been huge and the sport has moved on from the days of baggy jerseys and static line-outs. Props nowadays are built more like body builders than just... well.... normal builders.

Jonah Lomu was regarded for being a physical specimen during his heyday, but taking a look around today there are numerous wingers who have similar if not better physical attributes than the famous Kiwi.

http://www.balls.ie/fitness-lifestyle/evolution-of-rugby-in-professional-era/311649

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Yeah, massive difference compared to twenty years ago. Substantially to do with the move from amateur to professional - someone training all day everyday is going to end up bigger, stronger and faster than someone training two or three times a week.

However I'm personally convinced there's a bad problem with drugs in rugby. More rugby players are banned in the UK at the moment that in any other sport, and that's with a fairly inadequate testing regime.

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My nephew is a professional player and when he was younger (about 18) and associated with the Scottish Institute of Sport he was given a detailed training and dietary regime to bulk up. This included consuming in excess of 6000 calories a month. Now at 6 foot and 14 1/2 stone he is regularly referred to as small, even as 'diminutive' n one article in The Scotsman. In contrast I have the programme from one on the first games I went to at Murrayfield to see Graham Mourie's Grand Slam All Blacks in 1977. One of the locks is Frank Oliver, 6'1"", 14st.

Edited by Pool Q
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I wonder if people keep on bulking up so much that they might have to go down the American Football route and start getting padded up to protect themselves from serious injury.

On the issue of steroids I've felt that judging by the looks of them League may have more of a problem than Union.

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