With the Rugby World Cup in full swing over in New Zealand, many young boys and girls have taken an interest in the sport. However, many mums may not be familiar with rugby gear and won’t know the first thing about buying their child a rugby kit. Here are Elverys Sports Power Team top tips for purchasing rugby hear so your mini Brian O’ Driscoll will be safe and comfortable while playing.
Get protected:
- Gum Shield - The most important piece of kit for any rugby player is their gum shield. A common misconception about gum shields is that they are only there to protect your teeth. The main function of a gum shield is to work as a shock absorber for the head and jaw thus greatly reducing the chance of concussion and jaw injuries. When choosing a gum shield, make sure you get the right size to suit your child. If you are not sure what to go for, speak to a member of the Elverys team.
- Scrum Caps - To protect your child’s head and ears, headgear, or scrum caps as they are more commonly known, as recommended. These reduce the risk of head injuries or concussion and the infamous ‘cauliflower’ ears. Scrum Caps can range in price but Elverys Sports recommends the Canterbury ventilator kids with a RRP of €35.
- Shoulder Pads – Shoulder pads are an essential piece of equipment. For children starting out, Elverys Sports recommends that you get a set of pads that protect their shoulders, arms and chest. One of the best on the market at present is the Rugbytech Junior Protech shoulder pads.
Prepare for all the elements:
Baselayers are perfect for ensuring that your child stays warm but they are not too heavy. Air is trapped between two layers and acts as an insulator keep the wearer warm. The inner layer also wicks sweat away from the skin. There is also a range of vests that can be worn in hot weather to keep cool. There are also Baselayer shorts that offer protection and support to the lower body reducing the risk of hamstring, groin and quad injuries.
A number of the Baselayer manufacturers offer compression technology which can help with the recovery of muscles by being tighter fitting in certain areas and helping move the lactic acid through the body at a faster rate. Elverys Sports recommends the Under Armour Coldgear range for this time of year, which is available from €40.00.
Stay on your feet:
- Position played - In rugby, the position you play may have a big bearing on the boots you wear. The out half will do the most kicking so will require a boot with a large sweet spot for kicking. The front row will require a more durable boot with maximum grip due to having to scrum and protect themselves in rucks. The wingers will want a lightweight boot with good grip that allows them to sprint to the try line at maximum speed.
- Conditions- Choosing the boots with the right grip plays a very important role in performance and comfort. During the summer months when the ground is hard players should wear boots with a firm ground, hard ground or moulded outsole in order to reduce blistering and maintain maximum grip. During the wetter months soft ground outsoles are advisable. These are boots with longer studs that give maximum grip in wetter conditions with softer ground.
- Foot Type– Every person’s foot is different and as a result some boots will fit some people better than others. The best of the narrow fitting boots would be the Adidas World Cup and Copa Mundial range whilst a very wide fitting boot would be the Puma King Elite. The Adidas Predator range is suitable for both wide and narrow feet.
- Price Range– Equally as important as the factors above is the price. The major brands such as Adidas, Puma and Nike do offer their top end boots in introduction models so that you can have the best boot for your child at a price that suits as well. Whilst the introduction models will not have all the features as the top end models, they are very good boots with great technical features and perfect for starting off.
