Rugby Union’s Six Nations kicks off for another edition this Saturday with player injuries at the forefront of the of almost all pre-tournament discussion.
England head in to Europe’s premier international competition potentially missing up to as many as 15 players for their opener against Italy in Rome on Sunday.
Star no.8 Billy Vunipola is already ruled out, and this spate of injuries, not just to England but to all of the nations involved, is giving rise to discussions of player protection and safety.
England coach Eddie Jones this week said that some of the nations involvement in the Lions tour could have played a factor, but any way you look at it, there’s rarely been a longer list of injuries ahead of the competition.
RFU statistics reveal that 44 professional players playing in England have quit the game in the last three years alone, with concussion, and the realities of it in later life, finally being acknowledged in a serious way.
In fact, some players are starting to heed the warnings of doctors, like full-back Peter Murchie, who won three caps for Scotland, deciding to retire off the back of medical advice after suffering several head injuries over the last few seasons.
Be it concussion or an impact injury such as Vunipola’s broken arm, questions may have to be asked whether the impact and force dished out by today’s super athletes is starting to go beyond the tipping point of what the human body can reasonably sustain on a consistent basis.
Players are constantly getting bigger, stronger and faster. Meaning when they do collide, the results are even more devastating than in previous years.
Injuries are always going to be part of the game, as with any sport that requires physical movement, but to demonstrate why the game may need to at least to acknowledge the growing problem, if not have an all-out rethink, take a look at the six nations injury list below:
England:
Billy Vunipola – Broken Arm – OUT
Tom Curry – Wrist – OUT
Semesa Rokoduguni – Shoulder – OUT
Elliot Daly – Ankle – OUT
Nathan Hughes – Knee – DOUBTFUL
Ellis Genge – Shoulder – DOUBTFUL
Henry Slade – Shoulder – DOUBTFUL
Beno Obano – Knee – COULD FEATURE
Chris Robshaw – Back – COULD FEATURE
Mike Brown – Eye – COULD FEATURE
Will Spencer – Ankle – COULD FEATURE
Kyle Sincker – Hamstring – COULD FEATURE
Jack Nowell – Ankle – COULD FEATURE
Matt Mullan – Ribs – COULD FEATURE
Piers Francis – Concussion – COULD FEATURE
Scotland:
WP Nel – Broken Arm – OUT
Zander Ferguson – Foot Injury – OUT
George Turner – Knee Ligament – OUT
Al Dickinson – Knee – OUT
Ross Ford – Pectoral – OUT
Fraser Brown – Concussion – OUT
Allan Dell – Groin – DOUBTFUL
Darryl Marfo – Back – COULD FEATURE
Ritchie Gray – Calf – COULD FEATURE
Alex Dunbar – Concussion – COULD FEATURE
Wales:
Rhys Webb – Knee – OUT
Jonathan Davies – Foot – OUT
Dan Lydiate – Knee – OUT
Rhys Priestland – Hamstring – OUT
Dan Biggar – Shoulder – DOUBTFUL
Taulupe Faletau – Knee – DOUBTFUL
Liam Williams – Abdominal – COULD FEATURE
George North – Knee – COULD FEATURE
Hallam Amos – Ankle – COULD FEATURE
France:
Camille Lopez – Broken Ankle – OUT
Judicael Cancoriet – Ankle – OUT
Gabriel Lacroix – ACL – OUT
Damian Penaud – Broken Foot – OUT
Charles Ollivon – Broken Shoulder – OUT
Wesley Fofana – Herniated Disc – OUT
Morgan Perra – Knee – COULD FEATURE
Loann Goujon – Hamstring – COULD FEATURE
Fabien Sanconnie – Knee – COULD FEATURE
Ireland:
Rhys Ruddock – Hamstring – OUT
Tommy O’Donnell – Shoulder – OUT
Jared Payne – Migraines – OUT
Jamie Heaslip – Back – OUT
Garry Ringrose – Ankle – DOUBTFUL
Sean O’Brien – Hip – DOUBTFUL
Niall Scannell – Thumb – DOUBTFUL
Dave Kilcoyne – Knee – COULD FEATURE
Luke Marshall – Achilles – COULD FEATURE
Finlay Bealham – Knee – COULD FEATURE
Craig Gilroy – Broken Cheekbone – COULD FEATURE
Italy:
Michele Campagnaro – Knee Ligament – OUT
Angelo Esposito – ACL – OUT
Ornel Gega – Knee – OUT
Federico Zani – Calf – COULD FEATURE