Which is a more physical sport football or rugby?
Assume you are talking about Rugby Union and AFL (American Football/Gridiron). Contact/Hits: – I think the hits are heavier on the AFL runners due to the sudden explosiveness and speed of the plays. Many AFL players are bigger and heavier. However the AFL players have pads and helmets for more protection against these hits. – Rugby doesn’t allow many types of hits, like above the shoulder, no arms in the tackle, shoulder charges, pile ups, etc. You can also only tackle/hit the player carrying the ball. There are still heavy hits when runners are tackled, as that’s what you get when 2 guys collide at full speed. There is also a lot of heavy body contact when the forwards are rucking and mauling for the ball. There is also stamina draining direct body contact when scrums are formed, you have 8 players on each team pushing against each other jostling for advantage/position. I would say Rugby players end the game with more bruises and cuts than AFL. There are also more players attended to
