By: By Sholain Govender
Several parents and coaches of Pretoria high school rugby players have reacted with shock to the death of Hoërskool Gerrit Maritz pupil Tommie Watson, 18, but say the sport is dangerous only if rules are ignored.
Tommie suffered a head injury while playing for his school’s first team against Hoërskool Overkruin on Saturday and was declared brain dead on Sunday morning. Gerrit Maritz principal Steve Hearne said the school coaches and Tommie’s parents had not been aware of any injury prior to the match on Saturday and that they would not have allowed him to play had he been unfit.
“Any contact or semi-contact sport is dangerous,” said Pretoria Boys’ High rugby coach Paul Anthony. “You just have to take proper precautions.
Declared brain dead
“All players must wear gum guards. I would not allow any of my boys not to wear them,” he said.
It was important for players to be conditioned physically pre-season and during season to ensure that they are fit enough to play, Anthony said.
According to Hoërskool Waterkloof coach Jimmy Stonehouse, injury in rugby can be avoided by having fit players and following all the rules.
“Any sport with rules which are properly implemented is not dangerous,” Stonehouse said.
Japie Becker, father of a Waterkloof rugby player and chairperson of the school’s sports committee, said the intensity of the sport made it important for players to work hard on their fitness.
‘Take proper precautions’
“I think rugby is always dangerous but the main issue is that the players must be fit,” Becker said. “If my son is not fit then he knows that he must take a rest.”
Becker said winning was very important and the sport was associated with lots of pride which made it very intense.
Hoërskool Menlo Park’s head of sport Arnou van Wyk said: “Definitely the competitiveness in a sport (like rugby) makes it dangerous. Youngsters are prepared to go flat out and play the game much harder in order to win.
“It’s all pride and preparation and it’s very, very hard for a kid to drop out because you don’t want to let anyone down.”
Anthony said: “Rugby is very competitive, but that’s the nature of the sport. You have to be very careful when matching a powerful school with one that is not very strong and officials should stop a match immediately if they see that the teams are unevenly matched.”
Most common injuries suffered by school boys playing rugby were cuts, bruises and joint injuries as a result of tackles, according to the coaches.
“Concussion is also very common as well as hamstring tears,” said Anthony. He said his first team had had no serious injuries as yet even though they were in their thirteenth game of the season.
“A boy will always say he wants to play. We’ve had boys who wail to stay on, but if the paramedics declare him unfit then I just send him off the field,” said Anthony.
Hein Bantjes, father of Pretoria Boys’ High first team captain Henry, said it should never be up to the players to decide whether they should play or not.
“They are children and therefore it should not be up to players alone,” Bantjes said.
He suggested that a way to prepare players better for frontline positions was to decide which position they best were suited for early on in primary school and to train the player from then on. Inexperience in a certain position often leads to injuries.
According to the regulations, paramedics must be on standby at every league match and most schools have sports rules which state a previously injured player must produce a medical certificate stating he is completely fit before he is allowed back on the field.
“The referee must not even start a match if he does not see paramedics on the sidelines,” said Anthony.
The Gerrit Maritz school spokesman Hennie Louw said that the school had received an overwhelming response from the public with condolences pouring in all day on Monday.
A memorial service will be held by the school for Tommie on a date still to be announced.
