Puja wrote:Oakboy wrote:Timbo wrote:Not sure what it is about Billy's shape or muscaluture that makes him injury prone? Seems like a wild stab in the dark...
But yes, the silver lining is definitely that he should get some good rest and a strong Pre-season that he otherwise wouldn't have...as long as his shoulder isn't too bad!
I contend that he, like Tuilagi, is muscle-bound to the point where joints, tendons and ligaments cannot stand the strain. I say that as a layman, possibly in ignorance and I repeat that I hope I am wrong. I first started wittering on the subject about two years ago and, so far, events have not disproved my contention - unfortunately, in both cases!
Are you claiming his injury against Argentina for your point? Wasn't that because he got his leg trapped when he got cleared out of a ruck? Hard to see how that's to do with being muscle-bound.
Puja
No, I'm not talking about specific injuries but the propensity to get injured. Every collision, every stretch, every turn involves stress. Add on his impact-led game style to his body's strains and the end-product is likely to be tissue damage. None of that can be avoided but it can and should be managed. If, say, Farrell can play 40 games in his management plan, Billy should be programmed for 25 or a similar ratio.
Tuilagi, as a back, should theoretically be different but I see him as a real example of mis-management. His absence is the result. He might only ever get back to 10 - 15 games per season, I'd guess. Maybe, had he been managed to play 10 games less than he did three seasons ago, he would not be so damaged now.