Rugby: Past players admit not wearing mouth guard after Ardie Savea debate

By Josh Raisey of RugbyPass.com

New Zealand Rugby has received public support for saying how “incredibly disappointed” Ardie Savea was not wearing a mouth guard, as he is a role model for younger generations.

The issue was first raised this season when the No. 8 was seen without a mouthguard at the Bledisloe Cup event in Auckland, but was seen again last weekend without one in the loss to the Wallabies in Brisbane.

Given the peculiar nature of this reprimand, there are those who see this as a problem, as Savea is a grown man and a mouth guard is not mandatory in rugby. In fact, players ranging from former internationals to amateurs have said they did not or did not use one, many of whom have also provided anecdotes as to why they regret that decision.

Although World Rugby states that mouth guards are allowed, they are not required. However, this is an internal matter as it is stated in the Collective Agreement between the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Rugby Players Collective that “a player agrees to wear a mouth guard while playing rugby for a New Zealand team. Zeeland or when training. “

So while some have said this should have been dealt with internally and not made public, Savea has been emphasized as a role model.

With this in mind, discreetly berating the lazy forward is almost pointless, as this is a circumstance in which it must be seen that action must be taken to set an example and ensure the safety of the younger players.

Savea is certainly not a player who would disobey this agreement just for the sake of doing so, and has previously chosen not to use one in the past due to breathing difficulties. But this is not the first time he has been singled out for not wearing one, nor is he the only player, and he will know the responsibility he has as an All Black.

This article first appeared on RugbyPass.com and has been republished with permission.