Some hypocrisy in call for Crotty’s retirement
Ryan Crotty is one of the lucky ones.
For his sake, you’d prefer the All Blacks second five-eighth wasn’t as exposed or susceptible to head knocks as he appears to be. But he’s at least in an environment where he’s getting the best available care and under no pressure to return to the rugby field.
It is distressing to see a player concussed, as Crotty was in last Saturday’s test against Australia in Sydney, particularly when there’s an increasing history of it. Crotty can pass all the Head Injury Assessments he likes, but the fact he’s having to undergo them so regularly is hardly a great sign.
Players aren’t subjected to them unless there’s evidence, or at least the strong suspicion, of brain trauma.
Again, though, Crotty is a clever guy, who’s hugely valued and respected by everyone in the All Blacks’ environment. He will be looked after and receiving the best medical treatment and advice in order to make an informed and logical decision about what happens next.
More broadly, rugby, along with other codes such as rugby league and American football, are doing more than ever to protect the head of players. Playing laws have changed, as have attitudes about staying on the field after concussive events.
You will always have unfortunate situations such as Saturday’s, when Crotty and team-mate Jack Goodhue accidentally clashed heads, but that doesn’t diminish the worthwhile steps that are being taken to minimise incidents of brain trauma.
But while there was a rush to push Crotty into retirement this week, Auckland boxer Lucy Brown died after sustaining a blow during a sparring session, before a story ran on how many pay-per-view punters Joseph Parker’s heavyweight title bout with Anthony Joshua drew earlier this year.
A mother-of-two has died but are we casting a critical gaze upon boxing or condemning those who participate in it?
No doubt there are various subtleties but, to this untrained eye, boxing appears to be about inflicting brain trauma upon your opponent.
Far from being squeamish about that in this country, we celebrate it. Objectivity goes out the window, as Parker’s various fans predict the round in which he’ll knock so-and-so out.
No matter how good or bad the other fighter is, we possess a stone-cold certainty that our man Joseph will punch their lights out. Charming.
That’s not enough for some. They enjoy the Mixed Martial Arts stuff in which New Zealanders such as Mark Hunt, Israel Adesanya and Daniel Hooker are apparently adept. Each to their own.
Rugby’s not everyone’s bag and you can see why. It’s on all the time and dominates coverage of sport in this country and the reverential tone in which players and games are talked about is often a bit much.
But at least you have some confidence that the All Blacks will do right by players such as Crotty and not expose them to really significant harm.
There’s a place for rugby, just as there is boxing and MMA.
But before we demand Crotty is put out to pasture, let’s not forget the combat sports we eagerly watch as well.