Category: Injury Prevention
Rugby Science Update 13
The objective of this study was to describe the Head acceleration events (HAE) burden across various age groups, ranging from U13 to Senior Premier Club level, and the different playing positions during both matches and training. Data were gathered using Prevent Biometric instrumented mouthguards (iMG) throughout the 2023 community rugby season, involving 328 male rugby players in 48 matches and 113 training sessions across U13, U15, U19, and Senior Premier men levels. All iMGs were equipped with an embedding sensor, triaxial accelerometer and gyroscope to detect ‘on-tooth’ time, as well as linear and angular kinematics, respectively. Additionally, all rugby sessions were recorded. Despite similar rugby exposure time across age grades, the percentage of HAE exposure increased with higher age grade, reflecting elevated match intensity as players matured. Notably, 65% of HAEs occurred during matches for the Senior Premier level, with significantly smaller proportions during matches as age decreased. The study revealed a decline in HAE exposure during training with age. Furthermore, the relative risk of experiencing a high magnitude HAE was found to be is 1.36 times higher for U19 players compared to other levels. When analysing player positions, forwards exhibited a higher HAE exposure rate than backs, particularly in the tackle and ruck events, likely attributed to increased contact for forwards. Interestingly, at the U13 level, backs experienced more low-magnitude HAE during training sessions, presenting an opposite position incidence to Senior Premier players. Tackles accounted for 66–75% of HAE exposure in matches, emphasizing the authors recommendation for the importance of tackle and ruck technique training, particularly for higher grade players.
This study is published in Sports Medicine.
The purpose of this review is to discuss the current knowledge regarding the relationship between body composition (BC) and athletic performance across different ages and sports. Additionally, the review aims to survey the evolution of BC considerations in international sport over the last decade and provide best practice recommendations for BC considerations to prevent potential health and performance consequences. A review search was conducted on PubMed in August 2022 and December 2022, focusing on exploring the impact of athletes’ BC on performance outcomes. The review includes a total of 29 studies, with most of them involving well trained athletes in individual sports. To address the evolution of BC considerations over the last decade, an electronic questionnaire was developed and circulated via social media and email lists. The survey included 125 practitioners from 26 countries working within competitive sports. The findings of this review indicate limited evidence regarding the association between BC and competitive success. Notably, endurance athletes ten to benefit from leanness, and muscle mass is crucial across various sports. Overall, persistent training and experience are essential for talent development and performance success. The survey results highlight the necessity for a more holistic approach to using and reporting BC data over the past decade. Practitioners emphasize the need for awareness and education on how BC assessment affects both performance and health. The survey also highlights that methods have remained largely unchanged over the decades, with practitioners still comparing arbitrary sport-specific ideal BC. The authors emphasize the importance of approaching BC assessments and reporting BC data appropriately. They recommend assessing BC only when necessary and providing the necessary support for athletes to avoid potential health risks. To mitigate these risks, pre-screening should be conducted by the medical and performance team. Testing protocol should be chosen wisely, with a recommended frequency not exceeding 4-6 times a year. Additionally, BC assessment for athletes under the age of 18 is not recommended.
This study is published in British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The primary aim of this study was to investigate changes in player and referee behaviour following the implementation of the lowered (armpit) legal tackle height law variation intervention in amateur community rugby. Additionally, the study aimed to assess on-field referee sanctioning decisions for illegal high tackles. Building on a prior study which implemented the lowered (armpit) legal tackle height law intervention in the amateur community rugby, this research examined referee and player behaviour across three periods of the season. The study involved 42 teams participating in the university rugby club’s four-league, inter-residence competition with the inclusion of 16 referees from the South African Referees Academy. All matches were recorded and video footage from the mounted Go Pro on the referees was captured. Evaluation of on-field referee sanctioning was carried out by a professional South African Rugby Union (SARU) international-level referee, which assessed all videos coded as ‘high’ under the new law variation. The findings of the study revealed a positive on-field behaviour change in both players and referees following the new law variation. There was a significantly higher sanctioning rate by the referees in the middle period of the session, potentially contributing to a significant reduction in upright tackles in the last part of the season. Additionally, there was a fair agreement between the independent referee evaluation and the on-field sanctioning when reviewing the high tackles.
This study is published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.
Rugby Science Update 12
Cardiovascular risk and systemic inflammation in male professional rugby: a cross-sectional study
The aim of this study was to characterize cardiovascular risk factors, including markers of inflammation, in professional rugby players based on their position. Furthermore, the study compared inflammatory markers in rugby players to those in healthy controls and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). All professional rugby players (n=46) were free from injury and illness at the time of data collection. The rugby players were then categorized by position; forwards (n=21) and backs (n=25). All data collections were collected during the pre-season. Markers of inflammation for the healthy controls and RA patients were obtained from a biobank database at Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute. Most rugby players in this study exhibited at least one cardiovascular risk factor. Forwards had higher values for all body composition variables, C-reactive protein (CRP) and glucose compared to backs. The rugby player cohort overall showed increased levels of systemic inflammation. One-third of the cohort displayed similarity in inflammation levels to patients with chronic inflammatory diseases. The authors note that the sample size is too small to generalize findings. However, there is a risk of hypertension and dyslipidaemia that should be screened for in rugby players.
This study is published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.
The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence of concussion in the male rugby league at Super League, Championship, and Academy levels between 2016 and 2022. All rugby league medical teams must complete and submit a concussion report within 24 hours of a concussion to the Rugby Football League in elite senior and academy levels. All data used in this study was extracted from this dataset spanning the seasons 2016 to 2022. The data was extracted from the top tier Super League (n = 12 teams), second tier Championship (n = 14 teams), and RFL Academy (n = 12 teams). A total of 1403 concussions were reported (Super League = 538; Championship = 358; Academy = 507). The overall concussion incidence was significantly higher for Super League (15.5 (14.2–16.9) per 1000 player-match hours) and Academy (14.3 (13.1-15.6) per 1000 player-match hours) compared to the Championship (10.5 (9.5-11.7) per 1000 player match hours). One possible reason for this difference is the increased availability of resources for identifying concussions. Additionally, there has been an emphasis on concussion caution for youth players. Concussion incidence in Academy players was higher in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, potentially influenced by COVID-19 pandemic, which limited training and playing opportunities for these players. Lastly, no difference was found in concussion incidence between months at all the levels.
This study is published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.
The purpose of this study is to explore injuries in Canadian high school rugby boys and provide insights for future injury prevention strategies. Data collection took place during the 2018 and 2019 high-school rugby seasons in Calgary, Alberta. Seven schools were recruited for this study and 12 teams were included. Preseason testing was conducted at the start of the season, with weekly visits to the schools during the season to obtain the injury data. The total time loss injury incidence for matches was 48.4 injury per 1000 hours (95% CI: 37.7-62.0) and a concussion injury incidence of 22.0 concussions per 1000 hours (95% CI: 15.9-30.4). For training injury incidence, the overall time-loss injury incidence was 1.9 injuries per 1000 hours (95% CI: 1.2- 2.9) and the training concussion injury incidence was 0.6 injuries per 1000 hours (95% CI: 0.3-1.2). No significant differences were observed between seasons. The head was the most common injury location in both matches and training, with the concussion being the most common injury type. The tackle event accounted for 65% of match injuries, with the ball carrier contributing to 35% of tackle injuries, followed by the tackler (30%). In training, the tackle constituted 58% of injuries, with the tackler having the highest injury proportion (51%) compared to the ball carrier (7%). The most common mechanism for concussions in matches was being tackled (41%), followed by tackling (53%). In training, the predominant concussion mechanism was tackling (45%), followed by being tackled (23%). The authors highlighted the need for implementation of injury and concussion-specific prevention strategies. Due to the significant number of tackle-related injuries, there is a need to focus on tackle specific injury prevention strategies.
This study is published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine.
Rugby Science Update 11
The purpose of this study was to determine the rates of concussion underreporting in male and female Super League rugby players and to establish why players may not report suspected concussions. Furthermore, the study aimed to establish basic concussion knowledge and awareness of the long-term implications of concussions. This study undertook a cross sectional design. A survey was distributed to all registered men’s and women’s players from Super League teams by the Rugby Football League during the 2022 preseason. A total of 422 players completed the survey. Of the 422 players, 20% did not report concussion-related symptoms to the medical staff during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. One third of all players reported at least one concussion diagnosed by a doctor over the last two seasons. The most common reason for not reporting concussion-related symptoms were that players ‘didn’t want to be ruled out of a match’ and ‘didn’t want to let down team’. 62% of players reported receiving annual concussion education at their clubs. Knowledge about concussion and its potential long term implications improved from the beginning of the players senior club level careers. More than half of the players expressed concern about the potential long-term implications of concussions. The authors encourage medical and performance staff to be involved in concussion education to remove any negative perceptions surrounding concussion reporting.
This study is published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.
The aim of this study was two-fold: to describe the tackle characteristics during a single season, of community-level rugby conducted under the lowered, armpit-level maximum legal tackle height law variation and investigate factors that were associated with ‘high tackles under the new law’, during this season. The tackle analysis was completed throughout the Koshuis rugby competition in Stellenbosch University rugby club’s intra-university competition in 2018 and 2019, comprising of four leagues with 42 teams. The first year of the study used the standard shoulder-level maximum tackle height law and in the second year of the study the maximum legal tackle height was lowered from the ball carrier’s shoulder to the armpit. All matches were video recorded with referees wore Go Pro camera, and injury surveillance was conducted. The tackles were categorised as ‘high tackle under the new law’ or ‘not high’. A total of 108 matches and 14679 tackles were analysed. The results showed that ‘high tackles under the new law’ had significantly greater odds of occurring in the lower leagues. Notably, factors contributing to high tackles under the law variation condition included, lower front-on arm tackler, tacklers in upright positions, and ball carriers dipping into contact, all of which were associated with an increased risk of head injury. In conclusion, these findings support the implementation of a lowered maximum legal tackle height in rugby union. The authors did mention that when lowering the maximum legal tackle height, the ball carrier’s behaviour in the tackle event needs to be considered.
This study is published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.
Coach and player rating of perceived challenge (RPC) as a skill monitoring tool in Rugby Union
The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between player and coach Rating of Perceived Challenge (RPC) for different training sessions over a competitive rugby union season and explore the relationship between player RPC and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE). This observational study monitored 51 highly trained U21 rugby union players and four coaches over an 11-week competitive rugby season. Throughout the season players were asked for their RPC and RPE ratings 15 to 30 minutes after each team session, split session, and gym session, while the coaches were asked to provide their RPC ratings based on observation. All ratings were collected independently and confidentially. The key finding in this study was that, overall, players’ RPC did not match the coaches RPC, suggesting that the rugby union coaches may be overestimating the technical and tactical challenge of their training sessions. Additionally, forwards had a higher RPC for field sessions, likely due to their additional technical and tactical demands from training scrums, lineouts, and mauls. The authors mentioned that further robust validity studies are needed.
This study is published in the International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching.
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