Category: Injury Prevention
Rugby Science Update 16
By Lara Paul
The purpose of this study is to investigate stakeholders’ perceptions and beliefs regarding a lowered maximum legal tackle height law trial aimed at reducing concussion incidence in community rugby union. Six coaches, six players, and six referees participated in individual semi-structured interviews. The interviews focused on the effectiveness and value of a lowered maximum legal tackle height in improving player welfare and investigating the factors influencing the successful implementation of the law variation. After completing the interviews, a thematic analysis was conducted, and themes were derived from the data. Contextual themes identified included poor concussion knowledge, lack of education, poor tackle technique, and a culture that undermines player welfare. There were mixed views from the stakeholders on the effectiveness of the law trial; however, they did believe it could have a positive impact on player welfare. Buy-in from the coaches was a challenge, and there were difficulties surrounding the adherence to the law variation. Attitudes towards injuries, the difficulty refereeing the tackle height and resource constraints were some of the negative influences on the tackle height law variation. Spending time on coaching safe tackle techniques positively influenced players’ beliefs and attitudes towards of injury prevention. Some participants felt the law variation was still more effective than the existing law. Additionally, participants felt that that it raised awareness around concussion. Overall, the authors noted the complexity of implementing an injury prevention strategy for concussions.
This study is published in the International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching.
This aim of this study is to compare the speed and acceleration of the ball-carrier and tackler during the pre-contact phase (contact − 0.5s) of front-on tackles using video analysis and microtechnology data. Additionally, the study seeks to investigate the effect of the interaction of ball-carrier and tackler positions during Super League match play. The analysis involved examining video footage and microtechnology data from 214 front-on tackles in Super League matches. The findings indicate that the ball carrier’s speed was faster than the tackler’s speed going into contact (4.73 ± 1.12 m∙s−1 vs 2.82 ± 1.07 m∙s−1), occurring in 88% of the tackles. Moreover, it was observed that the tackler tended to decelerate going into contact while the ball carrier accelerated into contact. Furthermore, when assessing positional interactions, it was found that the ball carrier speed into the tackle was higher when the ball was carried by a back compared to a forward. The study provides valuable insights for sport practitioners and stakeholders in rugby league, offering a detail understanding of the tackle event in rugby league. Such information can aid in adequately preparing players for the demands of match-play and can be instrumental in decision-making regarding laws related to tackling.
This study is published in Journal of Sports Science.
The aim of this study is to conduct a Social Network Analysis of stakeholders involved in rugby union research. A systematic literature search was conducted on three online databases. Organisations were identified using author affiliations listed on scientific publications. All papers were included if they contributed to rugby union research. Collaboration was detected if there was a co-author on the publication. Country and sector were determined from the organisations of the authors. From there, a collaboration network was generated from co-authorship matrices and computed network metrics. This identified influential organisations and measured the extent of the collaboration between sectors. Six sectors were identified based on the author affiliations: universities, healthcare, industry, science and support, sport’s governing bodies and professional sports teams. The study found that scientific output and collaboration have increased over time from 1977 to 2022 in rugby union. This increase is likely due to the sport’s high injury risk, with stakeholders having an interest in preventing injuries and improving performance. Understandably, the greatest number of publications are produced by tier 1 rugby-playing nation, including England, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa. Influential universities between 2016 and 2022 include the Australian Catholic University, Leeds Beckett University, Stellenbosch University, Swansea University, University College London, and the University of Cape Town. Governing bodies within rugby union are highly collaborative, and universities are key players contributing to knowledge development. The results from this study emphasize the opportunity for collaboration, as the organisations creating knowledge in rugby union have been identified.
This study is published in the BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.
Rugby Science Update 15
The aim of this study is to understand the experiences of elite rugby league players regarding collisions in both training and match play. Eighteen European Super League players participated in this study, and data were collected through online focus groups. The interviews followed a semi structured format and covered various topics, including 1) offensive and defensive collisions, 2) collision monitoring, 3) defensive strategies and 4) the psychology behind collisions. After the interviews, a thematic analysis was used to identify, analysis and report the emerging themes. The focus groups revealed five themes: 1) The three-man tackle – the perceived optimal defensive strategy, 2) Not all collisions are the same; match play events change the collision intensity, 3) Bracing and blindsiding – two factors that influence experiences of collision and concussion, 4) Coaching philosophies and orientations, and 5) Psychological readiness for collisions. Furthermore, the authors recommend that future studies adopt a mixed methods approach to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
This study is published in Journal of Sport Science.
Match injuries in English schoolboy rugby union
The purpose of this study is to describe and compare the incidence, severity, and burden of match injuries among U13, U15, and U18 schoolboy rugby union players in England. The study spanned three rugby seasons (2017/18 to 2019/20) and involved data collection from 35 schools. Injury incidence, injury severity and injury burden were calculated and reported. The U18 age group had a significantly higher injury incidence (34.6 per1000 hours, 95% CI 31.5 to 38.1) compared to both the U13 (20.7 per 1000 hours, 95% CI 14.1 to 30.3, p=0.03) and U15 (24.6 per 1000 hours, 95% CI 20.6 to 29.5, p<0.01) age groups. While there was no significant difference between age groups for injury severity, the U18 age group had a higher injury burden (941 days/1000 hours, 95% CI 856 to 1035) than the U13 (477 days per 1000 hours, 95% CI 325 to 701, p<0.01) and U15 (602 days per 1000 hours, 95% CI 503 to 721, p<0.01) age groups. Across all age groups, the head was the most common injury site, and tackling accounted for 52% of all injuries for U13 boys, 48% for U15 boys and 62% U18 boys. Notably, the concussion was the most common injury type across all age groups. Interestingly, injury incidence, increased with age, possibly attributed to the greater forces generated in contact events due to increased mass, strength, and speed as players age. The authors emphasize the importance of teaching proper technique across all ages.
This study is published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.
This study aimed to achieve three primary objectives: 1) determine the prevalence of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) and rugby-related urine leakage in female rugby players, 2) identify risk factors for SUI in female rugby players and 3) understand the impact of SUI on rugby participation. The survey, containing questioning on urinary continence and rugby related SUI, was distributed on social media October 2022 to February 2023, with a total of 396 female participants. Results showed that 43% of players reported rugby related SUI. General risk factors for rugby related SUI included a higher BMI, constipation, and childbirth. Rugby-specific risk factors involved playing a forward position and participating at amateur level. Tackling, running, and jumping/landing were identified as the events most likely to cause rugby related SUIs. Interestingly, 68% of players who experienced rugby related SUI continued to play with no modifications. The study concludes by emphasizing the need to prioritize the prevention and management of SUI within female rugby, with a specific focus on prevention strategies for forwards and amateur-level rugby players, such as sport-specific conditioning.
This study is published in the BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.
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.
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