Ten-a-side rugby will cut injury pain in later life, claims study

A CUT in rugby team sizes would prevent some of the injuries that players endure in later life, researchers studying former sportsmen have claimed.

Reducing the number of players to 10 per side (from 15 in rugby union and 13 in rugby league) gives athletes more room to dodge so they aren’t forced to run through opponents, according to the research from Durham University.

This would lead to fewer instances of recurrent injuries, such as severe joint pain, years after their careers have ended, the study claimed.

Dr Karen Hind, from the university’s department of sport and exercise sciences, said: “It is clear from these findings that playing rugby union or rugby league is associated with lasting impacts in terms of injury and pain.

“Although there have been initiatives and rule changes to try to make the game safer, the rates of injury across a player’s entire career are still very high. The game is now also faster and players are bigger than they used to be so the impacts are greater.

“What we need to consider is that the game today is more about players running through opponents rather than evading – this is inevitably going to increase injury risk.”

“A case could be argued for fewer players on the pitch and providing more opportunity for evasion.

“Medics also have a role to play in encouraging sensible injury recovery times which clubs need to support.

“Importantly, our findings highlight a need for programmes to support professional players post-retirement, in managing the long-term impacts of injuries sustained during their career.”

The study compared the number and type of injuries suffered by 254 male elite and amateur rugby players with those suffered by non-contact athletes such as cricketers.

The retired athletes ranged in age from 21 to 82. Osteoarthritis, in which joints become painful and stiff, was twice as common among elite rugby players compared with athletes playing non-contact sports.

They also reported back pain and severe joint pain due to injuries sustained during their careers.

One in four still had issues with knee ligament injuries.

Concussion was the most common injury among rugby players, with most suffering at least one incident during their career.

Jon Sleightholme, the former rugby union player for England who was part of the 1996 Five Nations winning team, said: “What the study highlights for me is the need for long-term support and education for ex-players to help them manage these conditions as they get older.”

The study was conducted in collaboration with academics from Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand and the findings were published in the journal Sports Medicine.