Africa-Press – South-Africa. Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys said he had “no regrets” about his rugby playing career that ended with a horror neck break during a Currie Cup semi-final between the Joburg side and the Cheetahs in 2016.
The former Springbok tighthead said he was following the developments around the globe regarding player safety.
A University of Glasgow study – which compared health outcomes among 412 Scottish male former international rugby players with over 1 200 matched individuals from the general population – showed that former international players were 15 times more likely to develop motor neurone disease.
Academics found that, overall, the ex-players were about 2.5 times more likely to develop neurodegenerative disease than expected, compared to the general population.
In April, tragedy struck renowned Eastern Cape rugby school Dale College when 18-year-old Dale College student Liyabona Teyise died after suffering a head injury during the school’s 16-8 win over Port Rex Technical High School in East London.
Redelinghuys, however, said the administrators needed to find the delicate balance between retaining the physical spectacle that made rugby appealing, which he was enamoured with as a player, and the safety of the players.
“Why I fell in love with rugby was because of the toughness, people running into each other and it’s tough and brutal,” said Redelinghuys.
“That’s the part of the game that I almost enjoyed most. There is a fine balance because you can’t say players’ safety isn’t important.
“I get that part of it and it’s the administrators’ job to make sure that they get that balance between having a good, physical and tough game that we can all be proud of playing and also looking after the players.
“But on a personal note, I don’t have any regrets playing rugby. I regret going in like a bit of an idiot and put my neck at risk but I don’t regret playing, getting tough tackles or getting injured.
“After rugby, I don’t have any injuries except my neck, so I’m fortunate in that manner.
“For me, we need to keep it a spectacle in order for people to want to come watch the game. Ultimately, the spectator makes our game. Without them and the finances, the game will go dead.”
Recently, former Springbok captain John Smit admitted that his body was “falling to pieces”, as he was dealing with various bumps and bruises from his 20-year career.
But the 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok skipper said, offered the chance to go back 20 years and do it all again, he wouldn’t hesitate.
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