What exactly happened here?

Looks like a headbutt with a running start.

Looks like TBI or a broken jaw or both.

I grew up around rugby but never played it.

Brilliant game I enjoyed watching as a kid, the strategy of passing and physicality of execution.

But despite so much exposure, never felt the least compelled to play it.

Which feels a little bizarre as I gravitated strongly into a much more peripheral/less-available but remarkably similar sport, in amateur wrestling (folkstyle and greco).

I actually started doing this in my early 20's in New Zealand where every damn dude plays or has played rugby quite extensively.

........

Maybe I should have made more of an effort to play when I was younger, it just never had appeal.

Which leaves me scratching my head as technique wise there is significant cross over between it and wrestling.

That's the first thing that's apparent.

No one can is going to charge into you at sprint pace on the mats or in a ring.

And that's where serious damage seems to get done (read about this in American football also).

I mentioned to a dude back in secondary school about starting rugby and he looked me up and down (I was a bean back then) and said, "be careful with the rugby".

I had little concept of what he meant at the time but, I continued to be a bean up until my early 20's, taking up wrestling and realizing I needed to bulk up to be successful (and as above, wrestling is far more controlled, but arguably a more technical learning curve?)

Basically what I'm trying to determine is, did I do the right thing as a bean teenager not playing rugby?

I hate that feeling of "missing out on".

Watching that tackle makes me think there's additional toughness to be learned in that sport.

All avid rugby enthusiasts here.

From never having played the game, could anyone comment on the TECHNICALITY of rugby as a game?

In contrast to what I see as a similar game/sport in amateur wrestling?

This is one of the more accomplished technical wrestlers in the top ranks.

When I say "technical" I mean, like a physical chess match.

Cutting angles, setting up your opponent. Cleanness/fluidity of executing takedowns?

How much does that come into rugby?

Obviously so much more of rugby is getting the ball of the goal line, but in terms of executing tackles - the majority of rugby tackles seem equivalent to the wrestling "bully double" - which means charging into your opponent from a low level and kind of hoping you can maul him to the ground.

Though there are some angle takedowns

Where there's nice lateral movement, turning to the side versus just driving forward, for a nice clean take down.