"Football hits harder but rugby hits MORE."

VERY interesting video about rugby tackling and football tackling. I was personally quite surprised to discover that a football hit has more impact than a rugby hit because of the football padding in between bodies, but now it makes more sense. I did some extra research and found some other interesting points:

• In regards to the football padding, "...because they have such extensive protection many players (consciously or subconsciously) have less regard for their, and other's, safety (Quora)." It's also mentioned in the study done in the video above. Football players can develop a "psychological armor" because they are so fully padded. This has driven me NUTS while watching the NFL - so many players think of themselves like this:

NO! STILL REGULAR HUMAN BEINGS WITH A BRAIN AND OTHER INTERNAL ORGANS AND BONES TO PROTECT! 

• Going off of the extra confidence from the padding, this also creates different styles of tackling in football and rugby. Any rugby player can attest to the absolute intricacy put into learning how to tackle and practicing tackling. It is broken down starting from the initial positioning and ending with the follow through of the blow. In a study done at Boston University about brain injuries in football players, a lot of brain damage was due to the football tackling style. "They butt the opposition and their head is the tip of a missile, with an enormous amount of body weight behind them (The Guardian)." However, although football tackling is more susceptible to brain injuries, rugby tackling is more susceptible to spinal and rib injuries. It's explained pretty well in the video - rugby's tackles target one area and put all their force into that one spot. Football padding does do a better job of dispersing the impact over a wider area to avoid breaking a rib.

I wonder if Brad Pitt cracked any ribs from that tackle! ***SIDE NOTE: This picture reminds me of the amazing tackles made by the USA 7s security guards in Las Vegas and still makes me chuckle. 

• It even comes down to the game rules that make a difference in tackling. Another interesting point is noting the difference between stoppage in rugby and football. Since play is generally not stopped and not over when a tackle is made, there are other priorities on the brain of the tackler. Sometimes rugby tactic asks you to trip someone up, hold them up, pressure them to make a mistake, and/or just slow them down in some way rather than just blindly hitting them. But in football, since play generally is stopped after a tackle, there is one thing and one thing only on the tackler's mind: HIT DAT BITCH. He or she can concentrate 100% body and mind on that tackle. 

Anyways, what I've gathered is that hitting people is risky. period. get over it. Whether it's rugby or football, there's a chance of injury. And in both sports, FITNESS is the best protection. So do yo' laps people.