Rhys Webb and Elton Jantjies

[kpj tiger]

Both Rhys Webb and Elton Jantjies have failed drugs tests for growth hormone and clenbuterol respectively, just what rugby needed......

[Scott1]

Both Rhys Webb and Elton Jantjies have failed drugs tests for growth hormone and clenbuterol respectively, just what rugby needed......

Not surprised,me personally I believe it’s rife in the game. Have always said it. The recovery powers of these players is unnatural and superhuman like.

[jgriffin]

Both Rhys Webb and Elton Jantjies have failed drugs tests for growth hormone and clenbuterol respectively, just what rugby needed......

Not surprised,me personally I believe it’s rife in the game. Have always said it. The recovery powers of these players is unnatural and superhuman like.

Agreed. Certainly at higher and leagues in Wales - rife in the gyms there and subject to a few exposes in the press. Most anabolic stuff likely happens out of season, in preseason and early heavy training. I should suspect many 'recovery agents' are being used; athletics is a major test bed. Tigers not exempt - ripped bicep attachments and the like are telling signs of it.

[Scott1]

Both Rhys Webb and Elton Jantjies have failed drugs tests for growth hormone and clenbuterol respectively, just what rugby needed......

Not surprised,me personally I believe it’s rife in the game. Have always said it. The recovery powers of these players is unnatural and superhuman like.

Agreed. Certainly at higher and leagues in Wales - rife in the gyms there and subject to a few exposes in the press. Most anabolic stuff likely happens out of season, in preseason and early heavy training. I should suspect many 'recovery agents' are being used; athletics is a major test bed. Tigers not exempt - ripped bicep attachments and the like are telling signs of it.

Yes,nolvadex and Clomid and other masking agents and post cycle therapy stuff

[ABClub]

I've heard from a few people that it's a potential sticking point in the concussion lawsuits for both sides. An obvious defence is to raise anything that might have caused these health problems other than contact sport. Such as drug use, both PED and recreational, as well as drinking. No one in rugby, whether it's the players or the boards, want rugby's drink and drugs culture dragged out publicly.

From my experience of higher level amateur rugby in England and Scotland recreational drugs are absolutely rampant. I didn't play a good standard I'd add. But was in reserves/bin juice team for clubs that did. Cocaine use was everywhere. I've heard that doesn't stop at the professional level. Which makes sense really. Young people, who like a good time, with disposable income. It's a demographic where cocaine is ubiquitous in our society, sadly.

Testing numbers in rugby are poor. Most of the testing is on matchday as well I believe. So it must be fairly easy to avoid getting popped.

Folk like to point at the size of the Baby Boks and make jokes about the prevalence of drugs in SA schools. Well, several other nations U20s aren't much smaller these days and there are plenty of rumours about steroid use coming out of junior systems in other countries now as well.

I'd guess it's absolutely rampant at the levels just below fully professional rugby and still more prevalent than many like to believe in the pro game.

[Scott1]

I have no problem with cocaine,it isn’t performing enhancing. I have a problem with PED though,ok rugby is not on the level of boxing or MMA but it’s still a contact sport and people get hit and hit hard. If youre getting juiced up to the gills to perform with superhuman effort and recovery in a game in which you smash into people and you get caught it should be a 4 year ban first time then life ban second time. But being a big boxing fan I know that UKAD are absolutely useless so it doesn’t surprise me that the testing is poor. If it is true that it’s only matchday testing then even the most novice user could easily cycle off and beat that kind of testing.

[mol2]

The bulk of modern players isn’t, in many cases, down to better training methods.
Diet? Well that was what unwitting East German athletes were told to say.

Until world rugby has a system of mandatory out of competition testing it will remain all too easy to use prohibited substances. That has to include higher junior levels too.

There is too much money in boxing which is why we see trivial bans and the acceptance of lame excuses like eating too many eggs.

France is significantly keener on testing.

I would like to see 4 or 5 players selected at random from each side for testing at all Premiership games.
Likewise at all European matches and all players at international matches.
In competition testing won’t be perfect but with the correct methodology, metabolites of many PEDs linger much longer than most people think.

[Old Hob]

I have no problem with cocaine,it isn’t performing enhancing. I have a problem with PED though,ok rugby is not on the level of boxing or MMA but it’s still a contact sport and people get hit and hit hard. If youre getting juiced up to the gills to perform with superhuman effort and recovery in a game in which you smash into people and you get caught it should be a 4 year ban first time then life ban second time. But being a big boxing fan I know that UKAD are absolutely useless so it doesn’t surprise me that the testing is poor. If it is true that it’s only matchday testing then even the most novice user could easily cycle off and beat that kind of testing.

Um, I hope you remember that cocaine is illegal.

[Scott1]

The bulk of modern players isn’t, in many cases, down to better training methods.
Diet? Well that was what unwitting East German athletes were told to say.

Until world rugby has a system of mandatory out of competition testing it will remain all too easy to use prohibited substances. That has to include higher junior levels too.

There is too much money in boxing which is why we see trivial bans and the acceptance of lame excuses like eating too many eggs.

France is significantly keener on testing.

I would like to see 4 or 5 players selected at random from each side for testing at all Premiership games.
Likewise at all European matches and all players at international matches.
In competition testing won’t be perfect but with the correct methodology, metabolites of many PEDs linger much longer than most people think.

You’re aware of the Conor Benn nonsense then?! And it was the WBC that offered him that egg excuse which at first he flatly denied in his 270 page dossier before hiring another legal team and then saying it is food contamination after all! UKAD don’t have much money either,Tyson Fury nearly bankrupt them. Hair foliclle testing is the one I think should be introduced. I believe that’s better than blood and urine as it can trace any drug usage back further so cycling will be harder. Urine testing is quite easy to beat now apparently with certain masking agents

[Scott1]

I have no problem with cocaine,it isn’t performing enhancing. I have a problem with PED though,ok rugby is not on the level of boxing or MMA but it’s still a contact sport and people get hit and hit hard. If youre getting juiced up to the gills to perform with superhuman effort and recovery in a game in which you smash into people and you get caught it should be a 4 year ban first time then life ban second time. But being a big boxing fan I know that UKAD are absolutely useless so it doesn’t surprise me that the testing is poor. If it is true that it’s only matchday testing then even the most novice user could easily cycle off and beat that kind of testing.

Um, I hope you remember that cocaine is illegal.

I’m talking as a PED

[mol2]

Do you want someone off their head recklessly tackling you with no real capacity to do it safely?

[Scott1]

Do you want someone off their head recklessly tackling you with no real capacity to do it safely?

Are you taking about cocaine or PED? If it’s the former then no player in the world is taking cocaine before a game to enhance his performance,that’s ridiculous! He’s either had it the night before which in that case his performance will be worse because he will be on a comedown or he’s having it after the game with a few pints. There isn’t a player in the world who would take some before a game unless he fancies a heart attack! If it’s PED you’re talking about then I agree!

[mol2]

Both.
PEDs increase the force/impact.
The effect of cocaine affects judgement for some time after taking it.
Obviously recreational drugs covers a lot of substances, many of which don’t enhance performance but affect reactions, perception and are prohibited for driving for this reason. What’s different in contact and combat sports.

[Scott1]

Both.
PEDs increase the force/impact.
The effect of cocaine affects judgement for some time after taking it.
Obviously recreational drugs covers a lot of substances, many of which don’t enhance performance but affect reactions, perception and are prohibited for driving for this reason. What’s different in contact and combat sports.

Nope,nowhere near the same. Like I said an athlete wouldnt take cocaine pre game,no benefits at all. And the day after he would be playing the same as he would if he had a hangover,with obviously way more risk to his heart. The reason recreational drugs are on banned lists is not because of their performance enhancing abilities,it’s more tied to the law. And you’ve answered your own question,if it affects driving it would obviously affect performance. Theres a lot of people in JuJitsu who smoke weed, apparently when you’re rolling (sparring) you get a better feel for it and are more tuned in but they don’t say that it enhances their performance per se

[wardy]

Not surprised,me personally I believe it’s rife in the game. Have always said it. The recovery powers of these players is unnatural and superhuman like.

Agreed. Certainly at higher and leagues in Wales - rife in the gyms there and subject to a few exposes in the press. Most anabolic stuff likely happens out of season, in preseason and early heavy training. I should suspect many 'recovery agents' are being used; athletics is a major test bed. Tigers not exempt - ripped bicep attachments and the like are telling signs of it.

Yes,nolvadex and Clomid and other masking agents and post cycle therapy stuff

Hell, my wife was prescribed Clomid and we had twins!!