28/09/2026
A doctor's warning to players in ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฒ from 28th September 1921.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
Widespread interest has been shown in the criticism of modern football, as being too strenuous for the players, made by Dr Rocyn Jones, medical officer for Monmouthshire. As he is chairman of the Monmouthshire County Rugby Club, he cannot be accused of prejudice against the game. Jones strongly urged the shortening of the football season. Speaking, he said, as medical man with some experience of the casualties in Rugby football, he had been astonished by the early breakdown of many men of robust physique with cardiac troubles and injuries to limbs, due, in large measure, to over-exertion and over-playing on the football field.
๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ. One strenuous match a week, he declared, was quite sufficient for any rugby player, if they considered the effect on their physical health in after life. Overloading of fixture lists was a serious physical menace to the players. Dr T Wallace, the Irish international and Cardiff rugby full back, was emphatically with Dr Rocyn Jones. "The season is far too long" he said, "and too many matches are played. Look at the number of cases of fellows dying on the field. Holiday programmes involve far too big a strain on the individual player. The case of Meredith, who has figured in 50 international soccer games, and is still a First Division player, is an exception. Probably he does not smoke or drink, and is able to rest during the week. There are one or two similar instances, an but for ordinary player who has calls upon his physical health, apart from the playing of football, one match per week is quite sufficient. This matter should have been looked into long ago."
๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐. Several doctors who have been Rugby stars disagree with Dr Rocyn Jones. "'Rugby played to any degree does a man good,'' was the verdict of Dr J. J. E. Briggs, of Cardiff, an old Welsh international. "After the age of 26, however," he added, "this does not apply, and a man will be well advised to conserve his energies." "I can give examples of footballers who have lived to good old ages," remarked Dr W. R. Anderson, a former forward in the Newport team, and amateur champion heavy-weight boxer of Ireland. " Strenuous football should not do any harm if a man backs up good health and clean living with plenty of exercise to keep himself fit."
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐: Aberdeen Press and Journal Tuesday September 28th, 1921
