American Football vs. Rugby: Which is Rougher?
by Sam Monson
28/5/2008
 
It's the age old argument over this side of the pond, which sport is tougher, more violent, harder to physically endure?
 
The Diner has an answer, and it's not close.
 
As some of you are surely aware, this humble Diner reporter has been playing his rookie season in the Irish American Football League (IAFL), and though we're only just past the half way mark, the injury toll has been dear. The IAFL is living proof in American Football's favour. Rugby might result in injuries, but in half a season in the IAFL I've seen more injuries than I saw during my entire rugby-playing career.
 
Here are the injuries that have been suffered by just members of the DCU Saints so far this season:
 
- Lacerated Spleen
- Chipped Elbow
- Torn Hamstring
- Broken Finger
- Season-Ending Back injury
- Soft-Tissue Knee damage
- Torn Ligaments
- Broken Sternum
 
And that doesn't include the run of the mill ankle sprains, stubbed and sprained fingers, cuts, bumps, bruises and other minor things that occur on a regular basis.
 
A lot of people knock American Football for all the padding that the players wear, without understanding that the sport began as a variant of rugby. The padding developed because it was required. It was necessary! In the early years of American Football, during the fabled 'roaring twenties', a season of college ball carried a death toll with it. It was expected that a few people here and there would die from the game. Now when was the last time that was true in rugby? Was it ever?
 
As the game of American Football developed, so did the athletes, the speed, the power, and the impact. Padding became crucial just to survive the game. Sure rugby has impact, but rarely are two people meeting from a full running start in opposite directions, often using their entire body as a weapon to 'hit' rather than tackle somebody. The impact is different. In Rugby, players are taught a form tackle, which involves wrapping up somebody's legs, and driving them off balance and to the ground. Whilst American Football preaches a similar drill for open field tackles, it also teaches blocking and hitting techniques which occur with both parties running full speed towards an impact.
 
Without the padding, players wouldn't survive the game. Another thing rarely considered by people is that all of this padding weighs about 15lbs, maybe more, and it's hard. You're kitting yourself out with a body armour that can be used to great effect to not only protect you from impact, but to deliver it. Much as a Rugby player might like to deliver some NFL style hits, they're limited by the impact that their own body can take.
 
US TV series, Sports Science, measures the force generated by a hit in Rugby and American Football, and the football hit generated more than 3,000lbs more force than a big Rugby hit. The big hit in American Football roughly equated to being in a car travelling at 35mph, driving into a brick wall.
 
Both sports are physically demanding, and both sports have some world class athletes playing for them, but Rugby players do not have to endure the physical battery of an American Football player – it would be impossible for them to do so without pads on. It is believed that the average lineman in the NFL endures the equivalent of a major car accident every Sunday, and that's if he emerges from the game uninjured.
 
Anyone who needs proof that American Football is more than just 'rugby in pads' should take a look at this video:

Anyone still not convinced should kit up and give it a shot.