Rugby is an intense sport in which large, hulking men wrestle and tackle each other with violent force. It’s similar to football, but without pads. With this in mind, there’s a pretty high risk of injury involved for those playing.
Unfortunately for Toulon player Ma’a Nonu, he suffered a pretty brutal hit during a recent match in France. Nonu attempted to make a tackle on an opposing ballcarrier but was crushed with a shoulder to the head instead. He was knocked out cold almost immediately.
The incident was casually dubbed a “rugby accident” by the commentator.
The most frightening part of the whole scene may have been the few seconds following the collision, in which Nonu’s stiff body fell to the turf. He laid on the pitch with his arms still extended toward the sky as he struggled to regain consciousness. Obviously, this was cause for immediate concern and the team’s medical staff quickly rushed the field and came to his aid.
Thankfully, Nonu eventually came to and was able to walk off the field under his own power. Because of the clear indication of a head injury, he was subbed out and his day ended there. So, I guess there’s a pretty big difference between rugby and football after all.
