KNEE strain (x2), broken foot, dislocated elbow (x2), torn hip, torn hamstring, torn medial ligament, torn knee cartilage, broken thumb, concussion, loss of peripheral vision, hemiplegic migraine (which presented as paralysis), and other bits and bobs of a joint or soft tissue nature.
That list is the injuries members of my rugby team have suffered since March. Never before have we had so many breaks, serious tears, or weird illnesses popping up on the radar. Never before has the team been as well conditioned as it is this year.
Breaks you can’t condition for (other than my making players drink lots of milk or take calcium tablets). Soft tissue injuries can be avoided. But yet we’re still being struck with them.
On the other hand, our ‘B’ team, which has done essentially the same conditioning programme but does not play at as high a level, has had next to no injuries (other than one knee cartilage which was done whilst playing for the A team).
It becomes incredibly frustrating when you have up to seven first squad players out at any one time.  Everything else in a team can be controlled for – tactics, skills, preparation for different playing conditions – but injuries are the uncontrolled elephant in the room.  And, it seems, no matter how well players are prepared, they’re still going to get injured.
Yet it is bizarre to have so many serious injuries at once.  We’re seeing it in the Super 15 this year, where one newspaper noted that “All Blacks coach Graham Henry will need a hooker to go down during week 12 of Super Rugby this weekend if he is to finish off his crocked XV.”
In the same article NZRFU medical director Steve Targett said the numbers weren’t that different to last year and were a small blip when the number of players, tackles and games were taken into account.
The odd thing is that compared to the National Rugby League (42 players from 16 teams currently on the injured list or 2.6 per team) we have a high ratio of players out of Super rugby.  My rough count after the weekend was around 24 or 25 – on average five players per side.  
Both sports are high impact collision activities.  But the NRL, and rugby league in general, seems to trouble the sports medicine specialists far less than rugby.  Could it be a difference in conditioning and managing workload?
I know an ITM Cup prop whose job is essentially to monster his opposition in scrums, lift in lineouts, and clean out rucks.  It’s strength and power.  Yet he is one the one hand being made to eat eight meals a day to get bigger, while on the other hand expected to do 5km time trials.
Compare that to the programme for a similar job – a defensive tackle in the NFL in America.  It’s all weights, weights, weights and more weights to develop explosive strength and power.  Sure, we need to incorporate aerobic fitness in there too, but it seems we have a lot to learn from the NRL and NFL.
I know some of the brightest and best sports physiology and biomechanical brains in the country work with these rugby teams and know what they are doing, but it seems the almost unceasing parade of players to the emergency ward every week means there is something not right in the world of Super rugby compared to those other two similar sports.
But back to more pressing issues.  Anyone know where I can find a big-kicking first five eighth for the weekend?