What is the toughest major team sport in the world in terms of physical punishment?

Interesting to compare NFL players, maybe on the field for less than 30 minutes game and spend most of the game either sat down or stood waiting for action, with rugby union or league players, spend 80 minutes running around with a 10 minute break at half time.

Rugby is a bunch of worn out guys arm tackling each other. The NFL is 100% on every play since substitutions and breaks happen so often. That being said I voted for Hockey.

Originally posted by redrose49er:
Interesting to compare NFL players, maybe on the field for less than 30 minutes game and spend most of the game either sat down or stood waiting for action, with rugby union or league players, spend 80 minutes running around with a 10 minute break at half time.

And what does endurance have to do with physical punishment? You probably need more stamina to play rugby, but I don't consider that physical punishment. Otherwise, soccer or marathon running would be the more physically "punishing" sports.

Originally posted by redrose49er:
Rugby League

Couldn't agree more. I moved to Warrington UK about 10 years ago from Sacramento. Since getting here I have become a huge supporter of the Warrington Wolves. League is a brutal game.

Originally posted by 12b6demurrer:

Originally posted by redrose49er:

Interesting to compare NFL players, maybe on the field for less than 30 minutes game and spend most of the game either sat down or stood waiting for action, with rugby union or league players, spend 80 minutes running around with a 10 minute break at half time.

And what does endurance have to do with physical punishment? You probably need more stamina to play rugby, but I don't consider that physical punishment. Otherwise, soccer or marathon running would be the more physically "punishing" sports.

I think it has more to do with the amount of time being hit. Less time on the field = less opportunity for collision.

Rugby. It isnt even close.

Originally posted by 12b6demurrer:

Originally posted by redrose49er:
Interesting to compare NFL players, maybe on the field for less than 30 minutes game and spend most of the game either sat down or stood waiting for action, with rugby union or league players, spend 80 minutes running around with a 10 minute break at half time.

And what does endurance have to do with physical punishment? You probably need more stamina to play rugby, but I don't consider that physical punishment. Otherwise, soccer or marathon running would be the more physically "punishing" sports.

So being involved for the whole of an 80 minute game doesn't involve more physical punishment than being involved for half or even a third of a 60 minute one, how does that work out?

Each sport has a very different form of physical punishmnet.

As far as hockey goes, it is a physical sport but I think people kind of have a crazy perception of it. I never played football but I assume like hockey, theres a way to learn how to take hits. Golden rule #1, keep your head on a pivot to avoid blind sided hits, which are the real killers.

Open ice hits are usually from guys acting like idiots and opening themselves up to it by trying a dumb deke.

Hits along the boards, those are like body blows which I don't think hurts that much. For example, if you have to choose a punch to the shoulder or ribs or a punch to the head, which one are you taking?

My point being, the most severe physical punishment is damage to the head. Its always ben a big problem in hockey because the game happens so fast. But if you can keep your head safe, its not that painful of a sport. Body checks along the boards are more of a stamina/endurance thing then a pain thing, the boards actually give some and absorb the force which is why its way less painful to get hit there then open ice.

I think I've seen the most gruesome injuries in football, guys getting their legs snapped and stuff.

Of course there is also the dirty side of hockey, sticks can definately be used as a weapon to do some damage. And then theres getting hit in the face....yeah that doesn't feel good and leaves a mark. But still, its one of those things that it hurts immediatley but you deal with it and go on and usually have a s**t load of adrenalyn to deal with it. Concussions and head trauma lasts a long time.

And some of the most physically punishing hockey is actually in the Minors and Juniors (16-20 year olds in Canada).

Edit: Just from playing in adult leagues locally in the past year, we've had one guy get his face smashed and had to get a few replacement teeeth. And another guy cracked 2 of his ribs, but he didn't even know it until he woke up the next day and couldn't breath. But each guy wasn't in that much pain, it was more of just a pain in the ass to deal with.

Originally posted by SunDevilNiner79:
Each sport has a very different form of physical punishmnet.

As far as hockey goes, it is a physical sport but I think people kind of have a crazy perception of it. I never played football but I assume like hockey, theres a way to learn how to take hits. Golden rule #1, keep your head on a pivot to avoid blind sided hits, which are the real killers.

Open ice hits are usually from guys acting like idiots and opening themselves up to it by trying a dumb deke.

Hits along the boards, those are like body blows which I don't think hurts that much. For example, if you have to choose a punch to the shoulder or ribs or a punch to the head, which one are you taking?

My point being, the most severe physical punishment is damage to the head. Its always ben a big problem in hockey because the game happens so fast. But if you can keep your head safe, its not that painful of a sport. Body checks along the boards are more of a stamina/endurance thing then a pain thing, the boards actually give some and absorb the force which is why its way less painful to get hit there then open ice.

I think I've seen the most gruesome injuries in football, guys getting their legs snapped and stuff.

Of course there is also the dirty side of hockey, sticks can definately be used as a weapon to do some damage. And then theres getting hit in the face....yeah that doesn't feel good and leaves a mark. But still, its one of those things that it hurts immediatley but you deal with it and go on and usually have a s**t load of adrenalyn to deal with it. Concussions and head trauma lasts a long time.

And some of the most physically punishing hockey is actually in the Minors and Juniors (16-20 year olds in Canada).

Edit: Just from playing in adult leagues locally in the past year, we've had one guy get his face smashed and had to get a few replacement teeeth. And another guy cracked 2 of his ribs, but he didn't even know it until he woke up the next day and couldn't breath. But each guy wasn't in that much pain, it was more of just a pain in the ass to deal with.

Rugby, it isn't even close.

Originally posted by Joecool:
Rugby, it isn't even close.

Hmmm. That sounds familiar.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by Joecool:
Rugby, it isn't even close.

Hmmm. That sounds familiar.

I actually agree with him. I mean have you ever heard of an NFL player partially tearing their testicles off and staying in the game?

rugby

if you disagree, its probably because you're american and don't know anything about sports the rest of the world plays

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by SunDevilNiner79:
Each sport has a very different form of physical punishmnet.

As far as hockey goes, it is a physical sport but I think people kind of have a crazy perception of it. I never played football but I assume like hockey, theres a way to learn how to take hits. Golden rule #1, keep your head on a pivot to avoid blind sided hits, which are the real killers.

Open ice hits are usually from guys acting like idiots and opening themselves up to it by trying a dumb deke.

Hits along the boards, those are like body blows which I don't think hurts that much. For example, if you have to choose a punch to the shoulder or ribs or a punch to the head, which one are you taking?

My point being, the most severe physical punishment is damage to the head. Its always ben a big problem in hockey because the game happens so fast. But if you can keep your head safe, its not that painful of a sport. Body checks along the boards are more of a stamina/endurance thing then a pain thing, the boards actually give some and absorb the force which is why its way less painful to get hit there then open ice.

I think I've seen the most gruesome injuries in football, guys getting their legs snapped and stuff.

Of course there is also the dirty side of hockey, sticks can definately be used as a weapon to do some damage. And then theres getting hit in the face....yeah that doesn't feel good and leaves a mark. But still, its one of those things that it hurts immediatley but you deal with it and go on and usually have a s**t load of adrenalyn to deal with it. Concussions and head trauma lasts a long time.

And some of the most physically punishing hockey is actually in the Minors and Juniors (16-20 year olds in Canada).

Edit: Just from playing in adult leagues locally in the past year, we've had one guy get his face smashed and had to get a few replacement teeeth. And another guy cracked 2 of his ribs, but he didn't even know it until he woke up the next day and couldn't breath. But each guy wasn't in that much pain, it was more of just a pain in the ass to deal with.

Rugby, it isn't even close.

Hockey and it isn't even close. It is the most grueling playoffs of all the major sports. Hands down. You have to go through hell and back to win a cup. These guys take slap shots off the face, get stitched up and come right back in.

If you have ever been to a playoff game you will know what I am talking about. It is a level up from regular season. Guys are selling out left and right. You see if you have the guts to routinely throw your body in front of a 100 mile an hour slap shot.

Originally posted by WillistheWall:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by Joecool:
Rugby, it isn't even close.

Hmmm. That sounds familiar.

I actually agree with him. I mean have you ever heard of an NFL player partially tearing their testicles off and staying in the game?

I just said that because his words were exactly the same as my post.

Originally posted by SportsFan:
Hockey and it isn't even close. It is the most grueling playoffs of all the major sports. Hands down. You have to go through hell and back to win a cup. These guys take slap shots off the face, get stitched up and come right back in.

If you have ever been to a playoff game you will know what I am talking about. It is a level up from regular season. Guys are selling out left and right. You see if you have the guts to routinely throw your body in front of a 100 mile an hour slap shot.

I guess you didn't see the Ruby championship. Guys were getting punched in the back of the head in scrums. The in bounds had guys catapulting straight up in the air about 5 feet and getting rocked on the way down. And size? Almost every Rugby players has legs like tree trunks and are stocky and big all round. Dudes were playing with cuts on their faces, bloodied/broken noses,...

Most assume it like when we used to play football at the park back in the day with shoulder hits. It isn't.