Head injury rates reach all time high in England

CONCUSSION rates in elite English rugby have hit their highest levels since records began in 2002 according to the latest injury audit with the RFU using its ‘smart’ mouth-guard programme in an effort to combat the rise.

From next season all players in the men’s Premiership, women’s Premier 15s and in England representative teams will be offered instrumatches mented mouthguards that can help detect concussion.

It comes after research, which involved Harlequins men’s side, Bristol Bears women and the Red Roses, showed the mouthguards were able to measure the frequency and magnitude of head contact and head accelerations.

The audit of the 2020-21 season, published on Tuesday by the RFU in conjunction with Premiership Rugby and the RPA, showed that for the tenth season running concussion was the most reported injury, accounting for 28 per cent of all injuries.

The 2020-21 season had the highest incidence of concussion since records started in 2002 with 22.2 concussions per 1,000 hours of playing time.

In total there were 131 concussions sustained in – resulting in an average of 17 days on the sidelines – and 17 sustained in training.

An audit into the women’s game showed that concussion was the most commonly reported injury, making up 26 per cent of all match injuries. Again, measured against 1,000 hours, the rate was 12.6, more than double the previous season.

The men’s audit showed that 48 per cent of all match injuries were linked to the tackle – 27 per cent for being tackled, 21 per cent for tackling.

Data also showed that injuries are no more likely on artificial pitches than on natural grass or hybrid pitches, in training and in games.

There were 389 injuries in matches played on natural grass/hybrid pitches and only 78 injuries in matches on artificial turf.