As anyone can attest – sometimes
work sucks. Here are some of the down-sides of pro
rugby.
Injury
I am currently injured, and it is
awful. Not only do you lack the personal
satisfaction of playing – you miss that wonderful
feeling when the team achieves something.
Pau had a great win away at
Aurillac last weekend and while I was
excited, it can’t match the feeling when the final
whistle blows and you have 22 other guys to share it
with (to put it in perspective, since I’ve been at
Pau we have played around 50 games away – we have
won six).
Job Security
Look no further than
Ewen McKenzie and Christophe
Dominici (the ex-coaches of Stade
Francais). Five weeks ago there was no doubt they
were the men for the job. Now, they are without a
job. This applies to players too, especially those
in the UK. To explain this a little more fully – if
you are playing in the UK, there is often a clause
in your contract that says if you are unable to play
for any reason (it is most often applied for injury)
for more than a stated period of time – the club can
terminate your contract. Just like that. As Donald
would say... “You’re fired”.
Now I know there will be people
reading this rolling their eyes and saying “welcome
to the real world”. The problem with this lack of
job security leads me to my next point;
Geographical Security
Rugby teams often represent a
region or city. They are rarely right next to each
other. If a banker or electrician gets fired – they
can often find work in the same town – they are not
obliged to uproot and go looking for another
opportunity. This problem also applies at contract
time. Most guys sign a one or two-year-deal and the
decision to move clubs is not an easy one (nor is it
always the player’s choice!). Friends, schools and
established routines must be considered. Do you sell
your home? Do you buy a new home? And what about the
hassle of moving?
My last “down-side” is what I
will call...
'Joe Six-pack Down-side'
These are the same problems that
everyone faces at work – even pro rugby players.
Don’t like a co worker? Your boss is stuck in the
past or doesn’t have the necessary skills to do the
job? (You wouldn’t believe how often we face this
one). You feel like your effort is not appreciated?
We have these problems too. There is also the
additional one that not everyone reading this would
face. When was the last time you stripped down to
shorts and socks and went rolling around in the mud
(or snow), had men wearing metal studs step on your
ankles or fingers and called it an upside?
Don’t get me wrong, the upsides outweigh the
downsides, but sometimes I can’t help thinking – I’d
love to be a pro golfer.
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