Rugby fans are in disbelief at the incredible number of tackles a world-famous US special forces operative claims to have made during a match.
Retired US Army Special Operations Sergeant Major John McPhee, also known as ‘the Sheriff of Baghdad’, spoke at The Joe Rogan Experiencewhen he talked about his time playing the sport while living in California.
He is a highly decorated Delta Force operator who served more than twenty years in the U.S. Army and has combat experience in multiple theaters, including Afghanistan and Iraq.
Delta Force, also known as the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, is one of the U.S. Army’s leading special operations units. McPhee conducted a series of high-risk solo operations during his career, some of which took place behind enemy forces. lines.
He recalled how he first encountered the sport while living in Fort Bragg, Northern California, and marveled at how brutal the sport is.
“I was at the PX [Post Exchange] and saw the Fort Bragg rugby team practice at 6 on Tuesday,” he said while speaking with Rogan.
Former US Special Forces operative John McPhee has left some rugby fans divided on social media after claiming he made 80 tackles in one rugby match
He is a highly decorated Delta Force operator with more than twenty years of service in the U.S. Army and has combat experience in multiple theaters, including Afghanistan.
“So I went there to do something. And I’m going to tell you. If you think jiu-jitsu confuses people, go play some damn rugby.
‘Stay the hell away from rugby. It’s fucking brutal.
“No helmets,” Rogan added. “No nothing man,” McPhee replied.
The retired Sergeant Major now works as a Master Instructor and Subject Matter Expert, transferring his extensive and unparalleled combat knowledge to a range of organizations, including military and law enforcement agencies, around the world.
Given his combat training, McPhee said he quickly took up rugby, explaining that his coaches had marveled at his tackling ability, explaining that he once made 80 tackles in one match.
‘It was a crazy first training. The ball is there and one of my coaches says, “Take the ball and run!”
“I just grabbed it and had all those little bastards running over there, and then the guys were like, ‘Man, what college did you play at?’
‘I was like, “Uhhh, none?” I’ve never played a day of rugby in my life [life]he said during the podcast.
Now retired, McPhee was speaking on the Joe Rogan podcast when he talked about how he started playing rugby while living in California.
Some social media users remained divided over his comments, with many pushing back against McPhee’s claim that he made 80 tackles during a match.
‘My first match was in my third training session. But doing jiu-jitsu every night and fighting people in Iraq made me think rugby was kind of easy. The guy runs at me and I just have to take him down, damn double legs.
‘And then I got more tackles than anyone else, and my coach keeps stats, they said, “80 tackles a game, how do you do that?”
“It’s like a double leg takedown or a single leg takedown. Maybe a trip.
‘And then one of the coaches said: ‘How do you normally tackle, that’s how you get the most tackles.’ I’m like double, single legs. I only taught them wrestling moves.”
Reflecting on his use of jiu-jitsu, Rogan interjected, asking, “Why don’t they teach them that, it seems like a good skill?”
“I bet the pro-level f*****s do – they have to.
“I know a lot of linemen like Cali because of their hand speed and stuff like that, because they have to win the hand battles.
“I know there are a lot of sports that use a lot of disciplines, so I imagine they have to do wrestling drills or knockdown drills just like everyone else.”
For a Rugby World Cup match, the record number of tackles in 80 minutes is 28
Professional rugby teams regularly practice disciplines such as judo in training to hone their skills and knowledge in the contact area
But some fans remained divided over his claims, noting that rugby matches last only 80 minutes. That would mean making a tackle per minute, a feat that many of the world’s greatest back rowers wouldn’t even consider.
‘He lost me after 80 tackles. 80 minutes,” one person wrote on
’80 tackles in 80 minutes?’ one added.
The record for most tackles in a Rugby World Cup match stands at 28, with Springboks legend Pieter-Steph du Toit, French enforcer Thierry Dusautoir, Wales No. 8 Taulupe Faletau and Scotland’s Jonny Gray sharing the honours.
Others agreed with parts of his comments about wrestling. Many top-level rugby teams work long hours in the gym, practicing grappling and grappling techniques as they look for ways to outsmart their opponents.
Even English rugby teams have worked with MMA coaches in the past to increase their knowledge and versatility in the contact area.
“Probably more than 18,” one fan began to ponder McPhee’s tackle count, before adding, “But his point is valid. Jujitsu requires in-depth practice of at least two weekly sessions, which would undoubtedly be a contributing factor in addressing skill acceleration in rugby.”
Another agreed with McPhee, writing, “There’s some truth in what he says: Guys who wrestled in high school make the easiest transition to rugby of any American sport because they understand leverage, so you don’t have to not learning to tackle, argue. , etc…’