# Rugby players take steroids ?



## AlexNFFC (Aug 3, 2009)

Do Proffesional rugby players take steroids? Some seem to be pretty big...


----------



## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

IMO yes the same as any other sports.


----------



## Eklektik (May 15, 2009)

well..... I coach rugby and am friends with a couple of top players... and know for a fact that these players do not.... the 3 I know get **** tested on a near weekly basis.... have heard rumours of a lot of southern hemisphere boys taking growth as it doesnt show up on **** tests...


----------



## Jake1436114563 (May 9, 2008)

Most don't. It's more prevalent in the amateur players to be honest.

Just think how long they've been playing rugby, and therefore weight training.

AND how serious they must be about it.

Most rugby players train better than most "bodybuilders".

Heavy compounds. No fairy movements.


----------



## leonface (May 10, 2009)

I highly doubt any of them do as they get tested for performance enhancing drugs. No reason why you can't get as big and ripped as say the likes of Tom Rees naturally, even with the intense CV work they do as well.


----------



## AlexNFFC (Aug 3, 2009)

Yea but look at cheating in rugby lately, with the bloodgate scandal. I dont think it would harm a few clubs that who are or might be cheating to skip a few drugs tests or keep it quiet some players are on the gear.


----------



## stonecoldzero (Aug 30, 2009)

Rugby's as "clean" as any other top level professional sport. In the UK, it's always "the other guys" who "cheat". There are numerous products that allow you to beat a test - they've been around since the 80s - back then there was one available in the USA called "Defend". Today's biochemists are just more advanced.


----------



## Robbo90 (Mar 6, 2008)

Jake said:


> Most don't. It's more prevalent in the amateur players to be honest.
> 
> Just think how long they've been playing rugby, and therefore weight training.
> 
> ...


----------



## Tom1990 (Dec 21, 2008)

some do some dont. same with everything else


----------



## LittleChris (Jan 17, 2009)

I can only speak from friends, but I know two at Glasgow Warriors, one at Bath and one at Plymouth and they told me they and others don't use. Still look better than plenty of people who do use though


----------



## The Gimp (Jul 6, 2008)

I would of thought the majority would of done.

"Average" weight for the players is sround the 15 stone mark, and thats a lot of mass.


----------



## TaintedSoul (May 16, 2007)

I bet they all do except the Springboks and the Natal Sharks. They just naturally awesome!!! :thumbup1:


----------



## WRT (May 21, 2009)

Well I know plenty of amateurs who take them, i know for a fact about 90% of my local team are on them:lol:


----------



## Robbo90 (Mar 6, 2008)

meant to say that I completely agree with you mate. Don't no how I managed to quote my own reply lol.


----------



## ba baracuss (Apr 26, 2004)

Of course they do.

One well known england player can apparently bench 250kg. That's not going to be natural :lol:


----------



## matt p (May 11, 2006)

ba baracuss said:


> Of course they do.
> 
> One well known england player can apparently bench 250kg. That's not going to be natural :lol:


is that Andrew Sheridan?


----------



## ba baracuss (Apr 26, 2004)

matt p said:


> is that Andrew Sheridan?


No comment.


----------



## El Ricardinho (May 30, 2008)

LittleChris said:


> I can only speak from friends, but I know two at Glasgow Warriors, one at Bath and one at Plymouth and they told me they and others don't use. Still look better than plenty of people who do use though


the glasow warriors use my gym for extra training on a friday sometimes. They are big lads most of them, some of them are in great shape. no idea if they use but they are bigger than some of the ones at my gym that i know who do.


----------



## BigDom86 (Jul 27, 2008)

some do some dont. you'd be suprised at some of the guys who do, and then again you'd be suprised at some of the guys who dont.

to the OP. why does it matter?


----------



## LittleChris (Jan 17, 2009)

They may be 15stone, but that isn't a ripped 15stone, thats just a leanish 15stone.

Not particularly difficult to reach with consistent nutrition (which they have) and good training.

Expect he is asking as can't believe people can get any size naturally, like so many people...


----------



## leonface (May 10, 2009)

one of the pros at the club i play for is 15st 6lbs with a bf of sub 10% all natural with a bench 1rm of 165 kg, evidence that it isn't impossible at all to make it to that naturally


----------



## TaintedSoul (May 16, 2007)

Funny how sometimes a chap goes off for a injury and when they come back they bigger? I want their doctors....

Every sport has steroid use to some degree. Either they dont get caught or they turn a blind eye to it?


----------



## Jake1436114563 (May 9, 2008)

To the OP:

Even if the players do use AAS.... It isn't the gear that makes them big.

It's hard training, good diet and plenty of rest. The gear just helps.


----------



## Jungle (Mar 9, 2009)

A guy that trains at my gym is in Saracens youth squad (so he says). He reckons alot of them are on gear and I think he is about 16/17. He says there is alot of pressure on players at that age to be able to step up.


----------



## Seyyed-Merat (Sep 1, 2007)

Im not suprised if their on the sauce, then again these guys must eat alot and lift heavy (in phases too, hypertrophy phase, strength phase etc etc)


----------



## evad (Mar 17, 2008)

they train for strength and push against 18 stone men all game

i can see why gear would be of use


----------



## Jason Griffiths (Jun 25, 2009)

I imagine most professional athletes take some sort of PED's.


----------



## godsgifttoearth (Jul 28, 2009)

yes yes we do.

and its not to add muscle, its to help recovery in closed season.

people dont seem to understand just how hard it is to play everygame of a season, whilst trying to maintain muscle. ****es me off when people say, oh they aint that big. they aint that ripped. its easy to do naturally. yeah when u ****ing sit on ur ass all day doing a deskjob. try doing that whilst training multiple sessions/day and trying to cram in the weights AND play a match when u get completely battered.

i only recently realised how much steroids were used in top flight. as it was 'suggested' by someone high up in the club that i needed to take advantage of certain supplements to help my progress as a player.


----------



## lshannon41 (Jul 28, 2009)

I'd say some do, probably a minority though, also, you look at a lot of countries that play rugby, if you're big from a young age, you automatically get bunged into the rugby team, so genetic selecting from a young age. (ie, jonah lomu, not roids he was just born a cake so it was an obvious choice for him to play rugby in a country like new zealand). I think a lot of amatuers take them though, no testing


----------



## Van (May 22, 2009)

LittleChris said:


> I can only speak from friends, but I know two at Glasgow Warriors, one at Bath and one at Plymouth and they told me they and others don't use. Still look better than plenty of people who do use though


Oviously there your friends Chris but most people especially pro/semi pro are very unlikley to be honest about the use of AAS or any proformance enhancing drugs... look at american pro bodybuilders.... :whistling:


----------



## tom jones (Jul 7, 2008)

If you take a look in the physiques pre and post the professional era there is a significant difference. Its now their profession/job, they have expert advice on nutrition, training and recovery. As an example If you take Graham Price in the 77 lions squad, he was a podgy 15 1/2 stone, a prop...Now its common to many of the backs at that weight and very lean....Having said that, I do know of a few prof players that use growth.


----------



## Dig (Aug 28, 2007)

I would guess some do and the majority dont.

I think some people are too quick to point the finger at someone using AAS, some people are able to get further than what you think possible without touching anything. Seems a lot of people are too quick to judge others by the limitations they put on themselves (not directed at anyone inparticular in this thread just a general observation).

On the other hand people are always looking for that extra edge so obviously some will choose to use.


----------



## Hobbit JT (Sep 13, 2008)

A boy at my school was clearly taking steroids, he played rugby for the school team 1sts and he used to be quite big came back from 2months summer holiday and was fuking huge.


----------



## T_Woody (Jul 16, 2008)

Well they undergo regular tests so i dont think its going to happen


----------



## flynnie11 (Jan 24, 2009)

T_Woody said:


> Well they undergo regular tests so i dont think its going to happen


so do american footballers and look at the size of them ... theres ways round everything


----------



## gumballdom (Dec 14, 2008)

there probably are some who are takin steroids just like any other professional sport. I find a lot of people are quick to say so an so is on gear just because they cant obtain that size naturally. How many people on hear have done nothing but train and eat a well calculated diet? i think a lot of people underestimate the importance of nutrition and rest in building a good physique, and these are areas that players have plenty of access to.

However havung said all this in the amateur game steroids are more prevalent bcause there isnt as much testing if any in most cases. in addition in the real world people havent always got time to eat and rest properly and believe gear will solve all their problems.


----------



## rs007 (May 28, 2007)

for those that think drug testing offers any barrier or proof one way or t'other RE possible drug usage - in any sport - you need to take of your "naive" glasses :lol:

Rhetorical question - ever noticed how the most succesful soccer teams seem to come from countries where certain "supplements" are available OTC :whistling:


----------



## TIMMY_432 (Aug 6, 2009)

Eklektik said:


> well..... I coach rugby and am friends with a couple of top players... and know for a fact that these players do not.... the 3 I know get **** tested on a near weekly basis.... have heard rumours of a lot of southern hemisphere boys taking growth as it doesnt show up on **** tests...


your right mate, my mate ( jake abbott ) plays for the worcester worriers and i know for a fact he dont take gear, never has, never will, he only takes protein shakes, creatine and bcaas, and hes got 1 of the best bodys ive ever seen lol, 5'10 and 14stone of pure lean muscle! not all blokes that are big take roids!!


----------



## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

you boys also have to remember their is no test for growth hormone or insulin which together creates unlreal gains.


----------



## me fein (Jul 20, 2009)

id say most do except the munster and irish rugby team they,re just naturally **** hot


----------



## BillC (Jun 11, 2009)

Eklektik said:


> well..... I coach rugby and am friends with a couple of top players... and know for a fact that these players do not.... the 3 I know get **** tested on a near weekly basis.... have heard rumours of a lot of southern hemisphere boys taking growth as it doesnt show up on **** tests...


Well I know for a fact they do. They keep away from test as its too long in system. Tren Mast and winny in short doses but keep it to off season. Sorry but fitness coaching hasn't come so far in the last twenty years to have 18st 6'4" sprinting for 80 mins with the bodies of off season bb'rs. When your livelyhood depends on this size and fitness it's inevitable , as is them lying about it, even to their mothers.

Linford Christie was completely cleantoo :whistling:


----------



## Uriel (Oct 14, 2008)

Pro's in any sport - I would imagine if they used - they'd be told to STFU about it....even to "mates".

regular "Scheduled" P1ss test? test prop - test base no issue. and as said slin, growth, IGF ets


----------



## Rugby-mute (Jul 1, 2009)

A few do at our level (national 3 midlands). 4 of our first team were using them last pre season and i know a few of the lads while i was at uni were using them to, but your never gettting tested playing either of those leagues so its only your morals that will stop you. A mate plays for glamorgan wanderers (Welsh premiership) and says that its over half the squad are using some type or another, but then the majority of wales is on roids.

We have one of the gloucester lads coach us at the moment, he says there tested very regularly by the club, national body and the RFU and only use supplements from the company that sponsor them.

Timmy, i've seen Jake knocking about as he went to kings with a couple of lads i play with. He's stacked to ****, but the word from these lads is that he's been using something while his leg/knee has been in bits.


----------



## Uriel (Oct 14, 2008)

Yeah some of you guys need to wise up.

PEDS are in every high level sport. You cannot afford not to use when the competition will unless you like making up the numbers


----------



## austen_18 (May 21, 2008)

its a fact that some players take them. but not them all.. nobody can say that they dont take them. am on about rugby league here not union. union is for puffs. in league players have tested positive an got 2 years bans. and i know plenty of pro's who are on gear. mainly hgh. so yes some players to take them an some dont


----------



## gumballdom (Dec 14, 2008)

hilly2008 said:


> you boys also have to remember their is no test for growth hormone or insulin which together creates unlreal gains.


i have to say im with you on this one. you would have to be an idiot tio get caught using gh as the only test available can detect it if injected within 24 hrs of test. Its also far too expensive to test for regularly. therefore its a pretty safe bet


----------



## stonecoldzero (Aug 30, 2009)

Is there any reason a tested athlete wouldn't do HGH? No. Why? Cause they ain't gonna get caught.

I remember back in the late 80s / early 90s in So.California it was put to me (as a sprinter at the time) whether or not I wanted to put my starting blocks 10 metres back from everyone else because by not juicing that was effectively what I was doing. When I said "No", I was told to make the decision - I chose the Dark Side. Never regretted it. Not once.


----------



## sitries (Feb 28, 2009)

so is usain bolt on gear then???


----------



## Ken Hutchinson (May 29, 2009)

Not gonna mention any names , but i knew an aussie guy who was over here playing for a well known rugby league team in the 90's,and he use to tell me what he was on and most of his team mates, i have worked out with him quite a few times got to know him really well.


----------



## sheld87 (Jan 18, 2009)

some do take them i played for Northampton Saints Acdemy for 2 years and they do take, its mainly the forward row who do take, i also played in south africa where i was born and played acdemy rugby out there and the most they took was proteins and creatine.


----------



## jonesy1234cas (Jan 1, 2009)

i also know 2 professional rugby league players and they tell me they take it and they say they know lots more on it,he says growth is also very common


----------



## BigDom86 (Jul 27, 2008)

again why does it matter if they do or do not?


----------



## Stillers (Jul 14, 2009)

We'd be naive to think that some Pro Union players don't juice up, but it's not as common as you think. You have to remember that these guys are being paid to use the gym for around 3hrs a day, 4days a wk minimum. Then you train on the paddock, hitting bags, crash shields, sprints etc etc...

I have known guys that play pro, to stack up in the closed season and then return to basics. Other guys have just said no and will never juice.

P.S - The player benching 250kg, Sheridan? If you labour on the bricks for most of your adult life, you'll learn to lift some massive weight! Some kind of stimulant amy have been used though, we'll never know for sure though...


----------



## jonesy1234cas (Jan 1, 2009)

3hrs a day in gym plus cardio......surely thats overtraining


----------



## evad (Mar 17, 2008)

a lot of people seem to know a lot of people


----------



## El Ricardinho (May 30, 2008)

BigDom86 said:


> again why does it matter if they do or do not?


its just curiosity mate, what is the point of most threads on here? none really but there are some interesting debates.


----------



## Stillers (Jul 14, 2009)

jonesy1234cas said:


> 3hrs a day in gym plus cardio......surely thats overtraining


My mates training day as a first team member -

0800hrs - Team breakfast, injury forum, massage session

1030hrs - Gym session

1200hrs - Team lunch

1300hrs - Gameplay, tactics and contact session

1500hrs - Dinner with team

1545hrs - Light gym session

1700hrs - Home

That's not too bad...:laugh:


----------



## bkoz (Apr 29, 2008)

I know for a fact that some do take fast acting gear slin gh..And no-body gets tested on a weekly basis thats tosh...I,m not saying names but one of my close friend that i grew up with plays for australia..And another for taluse in france...THey dont but as a rugby boy myself i know and see players buy gear in front of me...Every sport. inhancments will be involved.Not every player.And if you think it does,nt you kidding youself....


----------



## merve500 (Sep 10, 2008)

THE REAL QUESTION SHOULD BE DOES USAIN BOLT TAKE STEROiDS?


----------



## Eklektik (May 15, 2009)

Uriel said:


> regular "Scheduled" P1ss test? test prop - test base no issue. and as said slin, growth, IGF ets


Thats the thing though Uriel.... they're not scheduled p**s tests... they tell the anti doping people where they will be for 1 hour every day and they turn up at random, one of the boys I'm referring to had them turn up at his door at 5am as they knew he'd be in his bed... they then come in, stand in the toilet while you pee in the cup and away they go.

Even fast acting test esters are in the system approx 24 hours IIRC so there no guarrantees that you'd have nothing in your system, these guys have lived for rugby since age 6 or 7, any that I've spoken to wouldnt contemplate throwing that away.... not for the sake of a few lbs of muscle...

There was also a comment about recovering from injuries.... these players dont sit at home with broken bones like we do, they go to rehab 6 hours a day to regain the mass that they had lost, I've SEEN grown men who are internationals almost in tears with pain at a high level rehab session. They work harder than most to get back quickly.

As i mentioned in my post i hear a lot about southern hemisphere boys using growth, insulin etc, but if you compare "the beast" that plays for Saffa with almost any northern hemisphere prop you'll see the difference... so why is it so difficult to believe that most dont use AAS?

Incidentally in lower level leagues it is prevalent, i used to play for a team where 9 of the starting 15 were AAS users (including myself) but I have since moved to a higher level club and dont know of anyone who uses, and to be honest they dont have much of a clue about AAS use.... wehen i mentioned to them I work for the nabba mag the majority actually asked what AAS does to you, how it works, side affects etc.


----------



## Eklektik (May 15, 2009)

bkoz said:


> And no-body gets tested on a weekly basis thats tosh


I beg to differ....


----------



## evad (Mar 17, 2008)

lionel messi was on growth

does that help?

im not scared to name names like the rest of you


----------



## lshannon41 (Jul 28, 2009)

merve500 said:


> THE REAL QUESTION SHOULD BE DOES USAIN BOLT TAKE STEROiDS?


sure he does, he runs so much faster than everyone who has every tested positive, dwain chambers says he passed dozens of tests on gear


----------



## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

im sorry but i dont imagine any federation could afford to test its players for anabolics on a weekly basis. foook me the olympics cant afford to do that it would be impossible surely.

time table.

monday - everybody for weekly blood test. i dont see it.


----------



## dog5566 (May 28, 2008)

i have a frend that plays for a bigish team in leeds thats on test, but maby the top player do get tested??


----------



## godsgifttoearth (Jul 28, 2009)

after reading through this thread as its unfolded, i've realised that there are a lot of really stupid rugby players, if they're telling people about their juicing. i was told to never tell anyone, not even your closest. all it takes is one slip up from them and you'll end up **** creek without a paddle.

i have also realised that the person in the original post has 4 posts. and im now starting to wonder if this is an RFU doping official looking for a clue on who to run a quick off season test on. and everyone in this thread who have named clubs have just made this job a whole lot easier lol!


----------



## stonecoldzero (Aug 30, 2009)

1. You have to test for specific substances eg by ratio (eg test:epi), at the molecular level, whatever. It's not "one size fits all".

2. If they don't know what they're looking for, they'll never find it, regardless of how often they test.

3. Chambers et al only got done retrospectively when the Balco Lab bust went down and they figured out what they'd been using, for which they'd repeatedly tested "clean".

4. SOME of the chemists are ALWAYS ahead of the testers.

5. At the top level, to get caught you've either got to be just plain unlucky, get ratted out or be a mug.


----------



## BLUTOS (Mar 5, 2005)

Some clubs have banned Creatine! also you can be tested and there are always spot **** tests on match days.

Also at top level they have to go and get all painkillers fro coach cos if they buy an over the counter product with a banned substance in it, they could still fall foul of the test and recieve a ban.

Some people who play rugby are just bloody big. And at top level they are the biggest and strongest who have come through. We always get a great small fella like Neil Back but as the game gets tougher the props are mostly 6foot, second rows anything over 6 foot 6, Flankers 6foot 2-4 and number 8's at 6foot 3 and 17 stone. Christ even the wingers these days are 6 foot in excess of 14 stone and able to run a hundred meters on grass in studs in about 13 seconds.


----------



## lshannon41 (Jul 28, 2009)

Clubs banning their player from using creatine is just dumb, why would you do that? you're hindering performance.


----------



## bigkiwi (Oct 2, 2008)

I know more pro rugby and rugby league players in todays game using *Clen* then AAS for reasons of fitness


----------

