Monstering the Myth: Don't Saw the Molded Studs

For years and years, a lot of rugby union players across the United States have been running around with butchered boots. Unfortunately, this is due to a ridiculous misconception, and Armchair Playmaker is going to step up the mark in trying to dispel it.

Given that some American rugby union players come from an American football background, no small number of Americans play their first rugby union match in Amerian football boots. as with boots for rugby union, of these boots have detachable studs, while others have molded studs. Unlike rugby union boots, American football boots typically have a single stud on the toe.

Here is where the confusion comes in. The single toe stud has been banned in rugby union since 1981, so American football boots with detachable toe studs are not allowed. Some have also incorrectly interpreted this ban as a ban on molded American football boots with toe studs.

This is not so. Although Law 4.4(i) states, "A player must not wear a single stud at the toe of the boot," Law 4.3 (b) states, "Moulded rubber multi-studded soles are acceptable provided they have no sharp edges or ridges." In a clarification a couple of years ago, Peter Watson of the USARFU Laws Committee confirmed that the toe stud ban was only pertinent to boots with removable studs. Specifically, the clarification stated:

...I have heard reports of referees requiring that players cut a toe stud off molded rubber soles. This is not a requirement in Law. In fact, I have seen the results of this and they can be actually dangerous after a sloppy trim job, with sharp edges created when cutting off the stud...The prohibition on single studs is meant for boots with replaceable studs. Soccer style cleats with molded bottoms are covered in Law 4.3 (b), as are many boots intended for other sports such as football...In a similar vein, the boot style known as “blades” were accepted provisionally in 2001. That has not changed...

In other words, stop telling people to hack off that molded toe stud with a pocketknife! While football boots with removable studs must have the toe stud removed, no modification is necessary for molded boots. Let's get rid of this myth by spreading the true story on molded American football boots in rugby union.