General Rugby Discussion 3

Right, well as great as you claiming to have intimate knowledge of the pro scene is you're not providing any actual sourced facts, just your own opinion. Whereas I gave you a quote in an international newspaper from a professional coach and a study of 4000 players. And they're just the tip of the iceberg, there are literally hundreds of articles out there about this. Here are a few more:

"I asked a very senior official in Welsh sport how many rugby players he thought were using steroids. He put it simply: “How many aren’t?”"

Daniel Spencer-Tonks, who was interviewed as part of a documentary this week on Welsh rugby, is actually a former England under-16 rugby union international who was playing rugby league for the University of Gloucestershire All Golds when he failed a drug test in February. He says steroid use is "hugely widespread" at all levels because of a pressure on players to be "bigger, faster and stronger".

""It's inherent in the sport at the moment, it's almost condoned. It's not a case of it being frowned upon, it's very much a case of 'Yeah, he's on the gear' and it's quite clear who is on gear by the make-up of their bodies.

"https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/drugs-rugby-very-welsh-problem-15313345

etc

Feel free to Google it yourself, you'll find plenty of reading.

The fact you didn't know what HGH is used for by high level athletes in their 30s, first posting about strength gains and then aerobic performance, would suggest you don't actually have the prerequisite level of knowledge to be commenting with any level of authority on this.

Even if you are 100% just using it for recovery, the hormone doesnt know that, you still end up a bigger individual, in some cases we are talking about someone adding inches to their height, and corresponding muscle/body mass increase.

I posted multiple articles, from multiple national level newspapers, that quoted both named and unnamed sources in the professional game. Who were all in agreement.

If your entire argument boils down to "we don't have a drug problem obviously because players aren't being caught by the national testing body in high numbers" then you know very little about doping in professional sports in general, and apparently drug use in rugby in particular.

Its not a requirement to list every single use for HGH, no, but to imply you have detailed insider knowledge of S&C matters when you apparently didn't even know about the primary purpose of use of HGH by rugby players of a certain age does rather undermine your credibility.

The Irish Times, that directly quoted an ex professional player, is an unbacked up statement from a rag? Thats a hot take.

You posted two very lengthy posts in response to posts on Webb taking HGH commenting exclusively about strength standards and aerobic gains as justification for its your belief in its use not being prevalent:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121031950/#Comment_121031950

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121035496/#Comment_121035496

Which would suggest you were completely unaware of the fact that its actually used by players of his age for recovery.

? Strength gains, aerobic performance, and injury recovery are all completely different (and well recognised) sports science concepts.

HGH is used primarily for injury recovery by athletes in their 30s. It massively increases the speed of recovery from injuries obtained playing contact sports like rugby. It does a large amount even taken entirely by itself, recovery periods are significantly shortened.

Thats my point, Venjur's trying to argue that HGH use isn't common because of strength standards and aerobic performance shows a complete ignorance of how the drug is commonly used by 34 year old professional athletes. They're not the metrics that are relevant.

The difference is though the 2022 F1 season only finished in late November. So their turnaround time from filming to release was about 3 months.

11 months turnaround for the rugby one is way too long, the previous year's competition will be way out of people's minds. A summer release mightn't be ideal for viewership, but even September as rugby season kicks off again would probably be better.

I've made the point recently that theres a bunch of players in the AIL that could be poorly paid professionals if they want to (finding berths in MLR/NPC/Championship/Federale).

Its upto them if they want to work for half nothing abroad away from family but its an option.

Had a few mates from back home who had only ever played club rugby (level below NPC) spend a good few years playing in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. They'd get their accommodation and a vehicle and few hundred bucks a week or be set up with a "job". They loved it as young single guys. Travel the world and play rugby.

Some then returned to NZ and actually played NPC and even Super Rugby.

I think we'll see more Irish lads do this. Both Treadwell and Thornbury spent time in NZ I think.

Once again rugby is slow to the party.