Toughest sport to play

Rugby...excluding wingers


Discuss

[Turkish]

SPOOORRRRTTSSSS FOOOORRRRRUUUUMMMMMM

[Yeti]

Snooker is f'ing hard to get to a good standard at.

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SPOOORRRRTTSSSS FOOOORRRRRUUUUMMMMMM

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moderator-wannabe alert

[Voltron87]

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Snooker is f'ing hard to get to a good standard at.

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thats a good one.

[TylerD]

no, simply no. being a forward in rugby is a relative piece of piss compared to being a good golfer for example, being a back isn't much tougher.

[Sightless]

Toughest as in hardest?

If no then Hurling if yes then Hockey

[WackityWhiz]

marathon running, only because I would probably die

[PairTheBoard]

Boxing


PairTheBoard

[utmt40]

Hands down hockey

[Ponks]

I vote Boxing too.

Ponks

[Duffman]

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Boxing




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EDIT: I would also say UFC and all the other MMA types, but I don't think the sport itself is established enough to be on the list.

[Chairman Wood]

I've played both Rugby (5 years) and Hockey (17years). Rugby is a far "tougher" sport.

[grabdemankles]

BASEBALL
NO EXPLANATION NEEDED.

[trying2learn]

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BASEBALL
NO EXPLANATION NEEDED.

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this answer is why the question is flawed.

toughest to play at the highest level? hitting in baseball is going to be tough to beat. golf is also high here.

toughest to play endurance wise? i can't see how water polo or long distance cycling isn't up there.

toughest by you need to be a mean SOB? rugby, hockey, boxing, etc...

too many answers with that generic of a question.

[JTrout]

bull riding, or golf. it's a tie.

[blaze666]

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Rugby...excluding wingers


Discuss

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i was a winger, all i did was stand there, shouting 'pass it to me' so people wouldn't think i was scared, secure in the knowledge that most people who play rugby are over egotistical, and would never pass it. all the idiot coaches who want to see others get hurt to hide thier own physical pain say that if you tackle right, you don't get hurt. i have a lifelong loathing for rugby that says otherwise.

[Piz0wn0reD!!!!!!]

distance running.

[Jimbo]

Professional moon-walker. It is a piece of cake once you arrive but getting there is tough as hell.

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I've played both Rugby (5 years) and Hockey (17years). Rugby is a far "tougher" sport.

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count it

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no, simply no. being a forward in rugby is a relative piece of piss compared to being a good golfer for example, being a back isn't much tougher.

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Rugby is tougher.

Skillwise, yes golf is tougher, but it is not tougher endurance wise or strength wise.

There is also much more thinking involved with rugby when played at a high level...such as Division I on any level and selection Division II/III teams.

Just so you know, I'm changing my answer to hurling but I will still defend the rugby side.

I have no idea who snooker is

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marathon running, only because I would probably die

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This just means you are not in shape to run. If one is in shape it involved no other skill than running in a straight line and no thought process whatever besides "run"

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Boxing


PairTheBoard

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Good answer

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[ QUOTE ]
Rugby...excluding wingers


Discuss

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i was a winger, all i did was stand there, shouting 'pass it to me' so people wouldn't think i was scared, secure in the knowledge that most people who play rugby are over egotistical, and would never pass it. all the idiot coaches who want to see others get hurt to hide thier own physical pain say that if you tackle right, you don't get hurt. i have a lifelong loathing for rugby that says otherwise.

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Maybe if you supported your outside center when he was tackled he would be more apt to pass it to you.

[tbach24]

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distance running.

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not even close.

hockey? hahahahaha v easy to play

[Piz0wn0reD!!!!!!]

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distance running.

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not even close.

hockey? hahahahaha v easy to play

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not even close to the hardest? or running, and its not even close.

also playing professional hockey is VERY hard.

[The Ocho]

jai alai?

[tbach24]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En respuesta a:</font><hr />
</font><blockquote><font class="small">En respuesta a:</font><hr />
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distance running.

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not even close.

hockey? hahahahaha v easy to play

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not even close to the hardest? or running, and its not even close.

also playing professional hockey is VERY hard.

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Running and it's not even close.

Playing professionally is very difficult, but playing itself is pretty easy, much more so than running.

[Piz0wn0reD!!!!!!]

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distance running.

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not even close.

hockey? hahahahaha v easy to play

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not even close to the hardest? or running, and its not even close.

also playing professional hockey is VERY hard.

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Running and it's not even close.

Playing professionally is very difficult, but playing itself is pretty easy, much more so than running.

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agreed.

[Steve09797]

marathon running basically uses only one energy system, (oxidative) rugby uses two of the three. there are short bouts of anaerobic energy and also endurance plays a huge factor. 40 minutes of non stop running, including hitting and tackling without any equipment is pretty damn tough to me. so marathon runners run for a long time, they are not using any other energy system (except maybe a sprint at the end) I agree with you jonny c , rugby is the toughest

[Steve09797]

Baseball? are you serious? maybe its tough mental wise as far as hitters and pitchers go. show me a first basemen who sometimes Designate hits agaisnt a prop in a rugby scrum and i think the rugby guy would be tougher and in a lot better shape

[Mr_J]

"all i did was stand there"

Well you obviously sucked. A good winger in a good team is a very important part of the attack.

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"all i did was stand there"

Well you obviously sucked. A good winger in a good team is a very important part of the attack.

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And most likely your team and coaches sucked as well for letting you just stand there.

[WackityWhiz]

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marathon running basically uses only one energy system, (oxidative) rugby uses two of the three. there are short bouts of anaerobic energy and also endurance plays a huge factor. 40 minutes of non stop running, including hitting and tackling without any equipment is pretty damn tough to me. so marathon runners run for a long time, they are not using any other energy system (except maybe a sprint at the end) I agree with you jonny c , rugby is the toughest

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thanks for analyzing and proving my joke wrong

[Mr_J]

"including hitting and tackling without any equipment is pretty damn tough to me."

Eh it's pretty normal to anyone living outside the US /images/graemlins/wink.gif

I think aussie rules football is tougher. The tackles aren't nearly as bad, but you get mid air collisions. These guys also have to play for 100 minutes or something, of reasonably constant play. They're ALWAYS running around since the game is played on a cricket pitch. They also need a high level of skill, mainly kicking/catching/jumping.

[John Ho]

Baseball? It is only slightly above golf on the physical difficulty scale and below golf on the skill level. Any game where you can play everyday is not tough. Ask a football or rugby player to play every day.

Don't know what is the toughest sport (except it isn't golf or baseball) but the best athletes in the world are pro basketball players. Really tall, really athletic, and with skills as well.

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BASEBALL
NO EXPLANATION NEEDED.

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[Mr_J]

"And most likely your team and coaches sucked as well for letting you just stand there."

He should just admit he was in the 5ths for the under 14s or something.

[Benal]

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Hands down hockey

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[antidan444]

I'm considering "toughest" to mean "highest level of difficulty."

I'll take gymnastics. Specifically, the women's balance beam event.

[rusellmj]

Not something you play, but what about mauntaineering? You know, the Everest or K2 type.

[mslif]

As for a "sport to play" I would definitely vote for rugby (I played in HS because it was required and it was tough)

A lot of people on this thread are mentionning running. I do not consider running a "sport you play". if you go that route then my vote would go for thriathletes (bias opinion here /images/graemlins/grin.gif)

[fluxrad]

I would argue that the OP meant toughest as in "you have to be really tough to play X" otherwise one would certainly nominate some extremely skilled sport rather than rugby (i.e. golf is "tough" to play well).

Of all the sports I've seen, I think there are different kinds of tough.

1. Endurance tough - Hockey. 82 games a year (plus playoffs). Roenick had his jaw shattered mid season and was back in time to try to help the Flyers make a run for the cup. In terms of physical stamina over a period of months, professional hockey wins hands down.

2. Brute force toughness - In terms of who has to be toughes t to play a 60 or 90 minute game, I would probably give that honor to Rugby. I haven't ever played rugby personally, but I have been told it is quite brutal.

That being said, football is a close second. While pro footballers wear pads, I would rather be tackled full force in rugby than on the receiving end of a hit from John Lynch coming over the middle.

Take that for what it's worth.

[RRRRICK]

No one has said Motor racing.

A Formula 1 driver has to be physically fit to cope with G forces at lateral loads. Mentally they have to be razor sharp to control a machine that movings at 300Kph + and cornering at 4 - 5 g's.

Not just anyone can do this, it takes a highly skilled and confident individual.

[fluxrad]

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A Formula 1 driver has to be physically fit to cope with G forces at lateral loads

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Yeah. But you can also be a booze hound like Raikkonen and still be second in the points. You have to be fit to race in F1, but it's nothing compared to the other sports mentioned (This is coming from a huge F1 and Rally fan.)

[LethalRose]

Ive tried a lot of sports (never played rugby though) and I find the toughest sport as far as conditioning would be tennis or racketball. Ive watched and even dated a girl who played rugby and it may be a tough sport but it doesnt require you to be in tip top shape. Basketball is up there too. ultimate is by far the funniest sport ive played.

[Chairman Wood]

interesting answer, I agree that it is very tough. However, as far as this type of "toughness" I would argue that distance swimming is tougher.

[antidan444]

A side note: Some people are taking this question to mean, toughest sport to participate in, such as football, rugby, mountaineering etc. (using the physical fitness angle of toughness rather than the skill level required, as in gymnastics or hitting a major league pitch.)

For those of you mentioning marathons ... you're not going far enough. Try ULTRAmarathons. There's one I know of (not sure where it's held) where runners race for 100 miles one day and 100 more the next day, with the times combined to determine the winner.

I have covered the John F. Kennedy 50-mile ultra (held in Washington County, Maryland ... usually attracts close to 1,000 entrants), and the top few guys who finish it each year are beasts ... within five minutes after finishing (which takes 6-plus hours), they're walking and talking like normal. It's unreal.

I left the question vague for a reason. I wanted to see people's reactions for what they considered "tough".

IMO, Tough is not the same as hard. Professional ping pong is hard. Advanced yoga is hard. However, I do not consider either one to be tough.

My reasoning of why I chose rugby:
1. The skill to play well at a somewhat competitive level is absolutely insane. If you have never played before you probably think it's an organized kill the carrier. It's not. It is more strategic than you can imagine and all the decisions are made on the field by the players while they are playing. The coaches actually sit in the stands during the matches (at the higher levels...not high school or most college).

2. The endurance it takes to play is akin to running 5-7 miles. This does not include the energy it takes to scrum, ruck, maul, tackle, break tackles, etc, which, as anyone who has ever wrestled someone for fun knows, is very hard.

3. You have to be able to control your emotions, more so than many other sports. In hockey a cheap shot is two minutes, in Rugby it is 10 and will leave gapping holes in your defense.

Aussie rules is actually the toughest game but I was including that into the "rugby" catagory.

As for being bad ass to play, two of my teamates (PSU Rugby) were all American last year. Fullback and Scrumhalf. Neither one is a badass....off the field.

I am shocked no one has said professional wrestling.

[Piz0wn0reD!!!!!!]

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marathon running basically uses only one energy system, (oxidative) rugby uses two of the three. there are short bouts of anaerobic energy and also endurance plays a huge factor. 40 minutes of non stop running, including hitting and tackling without any equipment is pretty damn tough to me. so marathon runners run for a long time, they are not using any other energy system (except maybe a sprint at the end) I agree with you jonny c , rugby is the toughest

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have you ever ran before? competitively? i doubt it. if you dont feel like youre gonna die during the whole race, youre not going hard enough.

[beta1607]

Water Polo and rugby in terms for physical endurance/ability and golf for skill

[Mr_J]

"Aussie rules is actually the toughest game but I was including that into the "rugby" catagory."

I win then /images/graemlins/wink.gif

"The skill to play well at a somewhat competitive level is absolutely insane."

It doesn't look as skillful because they are hidden, unlike a sport like soccer. You also have to have multiple skills, ie not so role driven like NFL. Everyone runs and tackles, and everyone has to be able to play at the breakdown. Everyone needs endurance and power (explosiveness) etc etc etc.

"The endurance it takes to play is akin to running 5-7 miles. This does not include the energy it takes to scrum, ruck, maul, tackle, break tackles, etc, which, as anyone who has ever wrestled someone for fun knows, is very hard."

It's much harder on the forwards. Flanker is the toughest position to play.

"It is more strategic than you can imagine and all the decisions are made on the field by the players while they are playing."

It is strategic but not more than I can imagine (since I can imagine NFL deep strategy) /images/graemlins/wink.gif But yeh, it's pretty deep, infinitely deeper than rugby league.

"You have to be able to control your emotions, more so than many other sports"

Not really. You usually let it go during the game, there's plenty of legal opportunities /images/graemlins/smile.gif You get away with a lot of dirty play anyway.

[Rootabager]

SOCCER! haha jk

[crosse91]

what makes a game of hockey so much harder than a lacrosse game?

[Piz0wn0reD!!!!!!]

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what makes a game of hockey so much harder than a lacrosse game?

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physics. U move much faster on ice skates.

The hardest technically i.m.o.

http://www.skatinghazard.com/chadmuska/chadmuska2.jpg

[touchfaith]

Golf.

Not only does it take years to perfect a consistent swing, but then, even when you have it...you have to putt.

Not to mention that one bad hole can ruin a round and sometimes even a tournement.

Team sports can be tough, but in most cases, there is 'somewhere to hide' the weak link.

[Piz0wn0reD!!!!!!]

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Arena League Football

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hahahaha

[jokerthief]

Boxing or UFC and it's not close.

[RunDownHouse]

How has wrestling not been mentioned? UFC comes close, but there are guys who depend solely on strikes and are somewhat successful, and they aren't nearly the athletes pure grapplers are. If you're talking the complete package - strength, endurance, skill, intelligence - nothing comes close to wrestling.

[Templeton]

I was waiting to see if someone was going to mention lacrosse, I would have to give a 'tough' vote to a lacrosse goalie. Not a position I would ever volunteer to play.

[ThaSaltCracka]

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Boxing


PairTheBoard

[/ QUOTE ]its this.

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How has wrestling not been mentioned? UFC comes close, but there are guys who depend solely on strikes and are somewhat successful, and they aren't nearly the athletes pure grapplers are. If you're talking the complete package - strength, endurance, skill, intelligence - nothing comes close to wrestling.

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I said wrestling...about ten posts up I said I can't believe no one has mentioned wrestling.

The only thing with wrestling is that it last three minutes because due to the nature of the sport, it couldn't go on any longer than three minute rounds. Rugby is like wrestling for brief moments and then running and sprinting inbetween

I used to walk by PSU wrestling practice on the way to the gym everyday...their practices were the toughest I have ever seen by far.

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what makes a game of hockey so much harder than a lacrosse game?

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physics. U move much faster on ice skates.

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Yes, and there is a reason a hockey team needs three different lines. There is a reason the same line of guys couldn't play the entire hockey game.

[M2d]

try catching both ends of a twinbill in the middle of summer then coming back and strapping it on again tomorrow. then try playing every day instead of up to a week or more off between games.
on the highest level, I think baseball is probably the toughest long run game. 162 games outdoors in the middle of summer played, for the most part, every day.

[SinCityGuy]

Decathlon (Track &amp; Field)

[Steve09797]

i didnt say i did or that you don't feel like that during a marathon. the post was "toughest" sport. is there any physical contact in marathon races?

[RunDownHouse]

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I said wrestling...about ten posts up I said I can't believe no one has mentioned wrestling.

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Sorry, you said "professional wrestling." I assumed you meant WWF-type wrestling, which is somewhere between Broadway and Mr. Universe.

[Steve09797]

baseball, as well as golf, has a whole lot to do with talent. certain people can make that diving play at third and throw it across the diamond. the post was on toughest sport though. if you added up the energy used for a baseball game and compared it to a 80 minute rugby game i think the results would be obvious.

[crosse91]

you roll 3-4 lines of middies out for a lacrosse game. And in indoor, the lines function exactly the same as hockey.

[crosse91]

but most lacrosse players don't wear any pads save helmet/gloves.

[jakethebake]

I'm not sure how you're defining "toughest" here. Water polo maybe?

[JaBlue]

I heard Aussie Rules Football is tougher than rugby. Never seen it though.

[judgesmails]

Hockey of all the sports I have played (football, rugby, soccer, hockey, baseball, golf, basketball, ran a marathon).

The sport tests every athletic element and must be played with a tremendous source of pride, toughness, and competitive spirit to be played well.