Progressive Rugby release community and youth package aimed at reassuring players and parents that community rugby looks after its own
This article is written by Progressive Rugby
Parents thinking of letting their children play rugby should not be put off by the brain injury issues plaguing the elite game.
The safety of rugby has been under intense scrutiny since 185 players, including RWC 2003-winner Steve Thompson and Wales Grand-Slam-winning captain Ryan Jones, were suing World Rugby, the RFU and WRU for negligence, claiming that playing the sport has left them brain damaged after they were diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Last month, Progressive Rugby released robust protocols for the elite game, demanding that player’s game time and contact training is reduced and mandated, mandatory standdowns for players failing head injury assessments (HIAs) increased, and protected rest periods put in place.
Progressive Rugby, comprised of expert medics, former professionals, coaches, teachers, and academics including Prof John Fairclough, Prof Bill Ribbans, Dr Barry O’Driscoll, Dr Lisa Ryan, Steve Thompson, Kyran Bracken, Nic Evans, Alix Popham, Sean Holley, Kevin Bowring and Peter Robinson, whose son Benjamin tragically died aged 14 from second impact syndrome after a school rugby match in 2011.
While the group believe there are issues in the youth and community game that need addressing, they say the risks are hugely reduced outside the bone-rattling intensity of the professional game and can largely be addressed by education and cultural change.
The recommendations are released the same day as ‘Rowan’s Law Day’ in Canada which raises awareness of concussion safety in memory of Rowan Stringer.
Rowan was a 17-year-old girl whose inquest found that she had chosen to hide concussion symptoms in the lead up to her next rugby match, even telling her friend ‘what’s some brain damage going to hurt?’ before falling unconscious shortly after a tackle and never recovering.
Progressive Rugby’s Professor John Fairclough, said:
“Like all contact sports, amateur and youth/school rugby carry risk, but these are almost incomparable to those in the elite game where the velocity of the collisions which continue to increase each season.
“At the junior, youth, and amateur level it’s about educating the parents, the fans, the players, so that everybody feels empowered to act if they think a player isn’t right – whether that be their coach, their parent, a teammate or even an opposition fan.
We talk a lot about the values of rugby, the togetherness, the going into battle and looking out for one another on the field. It’s an extension of that. Rather than a player feeling they can’t let down their mates by going off, their mates feel they can’t let them down by allowing them to continue.
Ultimately, youth and community rugby are terrific, and we believe the benefits of playing this great game far outweigh the risks.”
The group’s proposals specific to the junior, youth and schools’ game are:
Development of school/club player welfare champions and a compulsory annual concussion education programme for players, parents, teachers, coaches and referees covering symptoms, immediate management of TBI, recovery protocols, rehab and return to play.
A two-match a week limit for U19 players to optimise their performance and recovery, while also reducing injury risk. ‘Load diaries’ should be encouraged.
Development of an effective stakeholder system and player welfare app to ensure lines of communication between clubs, schools, and wider sports clubs.
Serious consideration should be given to the ‘blue card’ system currently in use in countries including New Zealand and South Africa where the referee has the power to remove a player they suspect has suffered a concussion. This information is also logged with the relevant union.
“Ultimately, we do have to take extra caution with younger players because we know their brains are more vulnerable to the effect of concussions and sub-concussions,” the group’s Professor Bill Ribbans, formerly a key member of the Northampton Saints medical team, said.
“Often youngsters play a number of sports and it’s about trying to keep on top of that by helping the players, parents, and coaches understand the importance of recovery after a brain injury.
“Rest is full rest, not playing football on the Wednesday after sustaining a head injury in rugby. That coupled with an effective communication system between sports clubs and schools would be invaluable in managing these young men and women’s work loads.
“Schools being aware is particularly important, because aside from knowing to stand down the student from other contact activities, it’s not unusual for children to struggle with learning in the days following a brain injury and they need to take that into account.”
Further proposals which also apply to the senior community game are:
Refereeing to the letter of law at the breakdown to better protect jackaller.
Team going forward in a maul to retain the ball regardless.
Eradicate the crocodile roll.
No tackles above the base of sternum.
Continued research to acquire data re the frequency of head injury in the men’s and women’s junior, youth and community game in order to inform future policy and demonstrate the gulf in risk factors between elite and amateur rugby.
Development of club player welfare champions and compulsory annual concussion education programme for players, coaches and referees covering symptoms, immediate management of TBI, recovery protocols, rehab and return to play.
“Often youngsters play a number of sports and it’s about trying to keep on top of that by helping the players, parents, and coaches understand the importance of recovery after a brain injury.”