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'Playing again is something I need to think about... you're looking at 20 tackles, 30 big collisions every game'
By Online Editors
David Denton has ruled himself out of making the Scotland World Cup squad having not played any rugby since last October due to a concussion that resulted in Leicester standing him down last month for the rest of this season.
Recuperating in Cape Town with his young family, the 29-year-old has even admitted to the possibility that he might never make it back onto a pitch again.
“It’s something I need to think about,” he said in an interview in The Scotsman newspaper. “I’m not a small man [he’s 6ft 5ins and 19 stone] but these days you are coming up against one-ton packs. You’re looking at 20 tackles, 30 big collisions every game at the top level.
“It’s not an ideal situation, it’s incredibly frustrating, the goalposts keep changing in terms of how they assess your recovery but let’s see. I’ve seen guys this season like Leigh Halfpenny and Matty Scott at Edinburgh who have been stood down for a number of months and come back to play.”
Japan 2019 is out his reach, his concussion on this occasion far more troubling than the incident that threatened his participation in England 2015.
(Continue reading below...)
“I was in the wrong place, wrong time,” said Denton about what happened in April 2015, a clattering collision with Paul O’Connell’s hip during an Edinburgh-Munster game.
“My head started to hurt, I didn’t feel good and I had to come straight off. Afterwards I thought I would be back playing in a few weeks. Little did I know that collision with Paul O’Connell’s hip would keep me out for seven weeks and put my World Cup preparations on the back foot. It even made me wonder if I would make the tournament.”
Denton has praised Leicester for their handling of his latest concussion. “I have another two years left on my contract and Leicester have been unbelievably supportive, I can’t say that enough.
“We’ve had talks and it’s been ‘if you can maybe play six games next season, maybe 20 in the next two’. That’s what we’re looking at. From thinking I maybe had five more years in the game I’m now looking at two and I’m starting to think about life after rugby, prepare for that.”
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Latest Comments
I think the best 15 we have is DMac. Jordan at 14.
Go to commentsIt certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
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