I’m not sure how you guys were playing rugby :)
Maybe, because Americans are used to being armoured when they play football, they do things on the rugby field people who’ve played it all their lives never would.
It’s a rough sport and there is a potential for injury certainly, but it’s nowhere near as inevitable as is being claimed.
I’ve played regularly for... good Lord, it’s 40 years now - and I’ve been injured a total of about seven times.
You may be right about it being rougher in the US. I did not hesitate to use some occasional Tae-Kwon-do or combat Judo when needed.
Ah....The Joy of Hitting....miss it.....