Munster's Gerbrandt Grobler signing - right or wrong?

joseywhales

Owta Control wrote: »

joseywhales wrote: »

That is not a point that is a question

Apologies, the question mark is like yourself.. redundant.

Oh so you mean "who cares?" is a rhetorical question?

Instead just saying "no one cares"?

But that is not true because I care, that's why I expressed my opinion, because I care.

And I care about you too, are you ok? How are you feeling?

Neil3030

Does anyone know if they even have a test for HGH yet? They certainly didn't the last time I checked. Exogenous testosterone can also be hidden with careful manipulation of the T/E ratios. I know the most stringent antidoping policy ever employed was at the 2012 Olympics, where the full battery of blood and urine tests cost £40k per athlete tested. And yet approximately 200 still got through with that branch of steroids that they later developed a test for and caught retrospectively.

Point being, rather than knowing how often rugby players are tested, I'd be far more interested in the testing protocol, and whether they keep samples for retrospective testing.

Venjur

jm08 wrote: »

Really. I recall Ian Keatly saying that the year Belvedere won the cup, Cian Healy just bulldozed them around the pitch. So obviously strength and conditioning is handy to have.

As for getting the stuff - you seriously don't think they wouldn't be able to get their hands on the stuff if their dream was to have a professional rugby career and were afraid they were a little bit on the small size?

Yes really. Do you think Healy is dirty?

I'd say a 17 year old in school would have huge difficulty in terms of finance, acquisition and id image the worry that your after buying rat poison.

I don't see schoolboys in Ireland doing this at all, certainly not any meaningful level.

Squidgy Black

Venjur wrote: »

Actually post school is the much more likely. The competition standards in school can easily be met naturally. There are no major drivers to cheat.

I can't envisage a 17 year old getting the money and the wherewithal to acquire this stuff while living at home. No one is going to be handing this stuff to them.

You'd be surprised. There's a lot of young lads that are heavily into S+C and getting into powerlifting etc at that age, Healy and Porter spring to mind, both were hitting crazy numbers in SCT. Steroids and other performance enhancing stuff is generally widely available in a lot of these gyms.

Venjur

Squidgy Black wrote: »

You'd be surprised. There's a lot of young lads that are heavily into S+C and getting into powerlifting etc at that age, Healy and Porter spring to mind, both were hitting crazy numbers in SCT. Steroids and other performance enhancing stuff is generally widely available in a lot of these gyms.

Maybe, but most rugby schools have their own gyms, rare for schoolboys to be venturing beyond this with any regularity.

prawnsambo

Venjur wrote: »

Maybe, but most rugby schools have their own gyms, rare for schoolboys to be venturing beyond this with any regularity.

Doesn't have to be regular.

Zzippy

Right, this thread has descended into farce and now we have indirect aspersions being cast on current players. Enough.

Edit: Following PMs from some users, le me state there were no allegations made about current players and mention of one or two was taken the wrong way. Several users have been in touch to clarify their posts, thank you.