Concussion Research
New Zealand Rugby is committed to research and transparency. We want to make the game as safe as we practically can for participants, ensuring they continue to enjoy playing rugby and have a lifelong love of the game.
That extends to doing everything we can to reduce the risk of injury, with particular focus on concussions. It also means doing as much as possible to understand the long term impacts of playing rugby. We are commited to researching these impacts and transparently sharing the findings with everyone. Where changes can be made, we will make them.
We partner with World Rugby, ACC and The New Zealand Rugby Foundation to undertake research that allows us to continue making our game safer.
The Latest Research
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Baseline concussion assessment performance of community-based senior rugby players: a cross-sectional study (2021)
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Assessing Head Acceleration Events in Female Community Rugby Union Players: A Cohort Study Using Instrumented Mouthguards
The rapid growth of women's rugby union has underscored the need for female-specific player welfare protocols, particularly regarding the risk of head injuries. Instrumented mouthguards (iMGs) play a vital role in gathering comprehensive data on head acceleration events (HAEs), including their frequency, magnitude, and spatial distribution during games and training. By doing so, iMGs offer valuable context for circumstances in women's matches that may increase player risk.
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Infographic. New Zealand Rugby's concussion management pathway (2019)
Rugby concussions impact player welfare and participation decisions, concerning rugby administrators worldwide. To ensure player welfare, World Rugby has developed concussion management recommendations. However, their practical application and enforcement are challenging. As part of a National Concussion Initiative, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) developed a concussion management pathway (CMP) that considers the various stakeholders involved and aims to support improved concussion management in rugby.
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Infographic. New Zealand Rugby's community concussion initiative: keeping kiwi communities safe (2019)
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Square peg round hole - Time to customise a concussion assessment tools for primary care: The New Zealand experience? A call for a GP-SCAT (2020)
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has three main goals for managing concussions in community rugby: removing players with suspected concussions, referring them to GPs for diagnosis, and ensuring medical clearance before returning to play. GPs are key stakeholders in this process, and NZR recognised the need to better support and engage with them. This editorial shares NZR's experience collaborating with GPs to ensure players safely return to play after rugby-related concussions.
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What they know and who they are telling:Concussion knowledge and disclosure behaviour in New Zealand adolescent rugby union players (2020)
This study surveyed 416 male and female high school rugby players from diverse backgrounds in New Zealand to understand their concussion knowledge, awareness of NZ Rugby's guidelines, and attitudes towards reporting behaviors. The results showed that 69% of players had experienced a suspected concussion, and 31% had been medically diagnosed with a concussion. 63% of players were aware of NZR's guidelines, with Māori and Pasifika players less likely to be aware compared to NZ European players.
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Concussion knowledge, attitude and reporting intention in rugby coaches and high school rugby players (2020)
This study evaluated concussion knowledge, attitudes, and reporting intentions among New Zealand high school rugby players and community coaches, and explored the impact of various demographic factors on these outcomes. The Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes survey was completed by 533 players (mostly male, average age 16.2 years) and 733 coaches (mostly male, average age 42.2 years). Coaches showed greater awareness, safer attitudes, and stronger reporting intentions compared to players. Among players, differences were observed based on gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic status, with Maori or Pasifika players and those from low socio-economic schools displaying poorer knowledge and attitudes.
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How do we do better? Managing Community rugby concussions in a primary care setting (2020)
This study examined the use and experiences of a concussion management pathway (CMP) in New Zealand community rugby. The CMP was developed using a social ecological model to support players, coaches, physiotherapists, and doctors throughout the recovery process. In the pre-season, 1540 male and female players provided baseline data using a modified SCAT5. During the season, 200 suspected concussions were logged on an App, which notified relevant stakeholders and entered the player into the CMP. Players were assessed by doctors using the player's baseline data, and this information was used for medical clearance. Post-season interviews with 130 stakeholders provided insights into their experiences with the CMP.
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Infographic. New Zealand Rugby's concussion management pathway (2020)
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Managing concussion in the real world: Stakeholder perspectives of New Zealand Rugby's concussion management pathway
This article explores the perspectives of various stakeholders involved in New Zealand Rugby's concussion management pathway. By gathering insights from players, coaches, parents, medical professionals, and administrators, the study aims to understand the real-world experiences, challenges, and successes of implementing a comprehensive concussion management approach.
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The rugby tug-of-war: Exploring concussion-related behavioural intentions and behaviours in youth community rugby union in New Zealand (2022)
Rugby is a popular sport with a high concussion rate, and concussions in adolescents are often under-reported. To promote responsible concussion behaviors, it's important to understand the factors influencing young players, including their coaches' and parents' attitudes and behaviors. This study explored concussion-related intentions and behaviors that may affect effective concussion management in youth rugby in New Zealand, using a practical, descriptive qualitative approach involving high schools from four different regions.
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Sport concussion assessment in New Zealand high school rugby players: a collaborative approach to the challenges faced in primary care (2022)
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Time to expand the circle of care–General practitioners’ experiences of managing concussion in the community (2022)
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) implemented a concussion management pathway (CMP), aimed at improving management at community level. General Practitioners (GPs) played a large role in the design of this process. The objective of this study was to explore GPs' perceptions of barriers and facilitators of the CMP and rugby-related concussion management in the community.
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The balancing act - Physiotherapists' experiences of managing rugby-related concussion in the community (2022)
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Designing, implementing and evaluating a framework for managing concussions in New Zealand secondary schools: A study protocol (2023)
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Quest for clarity: Investigating concussion-related responsibilities across New Zealand Rugby Community System (2023)
Taking a systems thinking approach, this pragmatic, qualitative descriptive study explored key stakeholder groups within New Zealand’s community rugby system’s perceptions of their own and others’ concussion-related responsibilities. Participants included players from schools and clubs, coaches, parents, team leads and representatives from four provincial unions.
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Concussion education for New Zealand high school rugby players: A mixed-method analysis of the impact on concussion knowledge, attitudes and reporting behaviours (2023)
This mixed-method study examined the effect of an education session on high school players’ concussion knowledge and attitudes as well as the impact of player demographics on these variables. Focus groups were used to explore player experiences.
RugbySmart Research
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RugbySmart: Challenges and Lessons from the Implementation of a Nationwide Sports Injury Prevention Partnership Programme
This article delves into the experiences and insights gained from implementing RugbySmart, a nationwide sports injury prevention partnership programme in New Zealand.
It explores the challenges faced during the implementation process and highlights valuable lessons learned along the way. By sharing these findings, the article aims to provide guidance and inspiration for other organisations seeking to develop and implement similar injury prevention initiatives in sports.
Read the article(external link)
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Injury Risk in New Zealand Rugby Union: A Nationwide Study of Injury Insurance Claims from 2005 to 2017
This comprehensive study uses data from injury insurance claims to provide valuable insights into the risk of injury in New Zealand Rugby Union over a 12-year period.
By analysing a nationwide dataset, the researchers aim to identify trends, patterns, and risk factors associated with rugby-related injuries. The findings from this study contribute to a better understanding of injury epidemiology in rugby and can inform the development of targeted injury prevention strategies to promote player welfare.
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First Aid in Rugby (FAIR) Training: The Otago experience [pg20-26]
The FAIR program aims to equip rugby stakeholders with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide immediate care for injured players on the field. By sharing the experiences and outcomes of the Otago initiative, this article highlights the benefits of targeted first aid training in rugby and offers valuable insights for other regions considering similar programs to enhance player safety and welfare.
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Consensus statement on injury definitions and data collection procedures for studies of injuries in rugby union
This short report discusses a significant effort to standardize injury definitions and data collection methods in rugby union research. Led by an international group of experts, the Rugby Injury Consensus Group (RICG), this initiative aims to address inconsistencies in injury studies that have hindered meaningful comparisons across the sport.
The consensus statement outlined in this article provides agreed-upon definitions for various types of rugby injuries and establishes common methodologies for recording and reporting injury data. By adapting frameworks initially developed for football (soccer), the RICG has created a standardized approach tailored specifically to rugby union. This landmark agreement, approved by the International Rugby Board Council, marks an important step towards more consistent and comparable injury research in rugby, potentially leading to improved player safety and injury prevention strategies.
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Evaluation of RugbySmart: A rugby union community injury prevention programme
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Tackle Injuries in Professional Rugby Union
This comprehensive study delves into one of rugby union's most critical safety concerns: tackle-related injuries. While tackling is widely recognised as the most dangerous aspect of rugby, there has been a significant gap in understanding the specific risk factors associated with tackle injuries. This descriptive epidemiology study aims to fill that gap by meticulously analysing a vast dataset of over 140,000 tackles from 434 professional matches.
By coding various characteristics of tackles from video recordings and matching them with injury data, the researchers provide invaluable insights into the relationships between tackle types, player positions, and injury outcomes. The findings offer a nuanced view of injury risks in professional rugby, highlighting areas where targeted interventions could potentially reduce injury rates without fundamentally altering the physical nature of the sport.
This research not only contributes to the scientific understanding of rugby injuries but also has practical implications for player safety, coaching strategies, and potentially even rule modifications in professional rugby union.
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An evaluation of mouthguard requirements and dental injuries in New Zealand rugby union
This original article presents a crucial evaluation of mouthguard requirements and their impact on dental injuries in New Zealand rugby union. The study, conducted by Quarrie, Gianotti, Chalmers, and Hopkins, examines the effects of implementing compulsory mouthguard use in rugby, particularly for younger players. By analyzing data from the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) of New Zealand, the researchers track changes in dental injury claims over nearly a decade, from 1995 to 2003.
The research provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of mouthguards as a preventive measure in rugby, a sport known for its physical nature and risk of oral injuries. By comparing injury rates before and after the implementation of mandatory mouthguard use, the study offers evidence-based recommendations for player safety policies in rugby union. This work contributes significantly to the ongoing efforts to enhance player protection in contact sports while maintaining the essential character of the game.
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Effect of Nationwide Injury Prevention Programme on Serious Spinal Injuries in New Zealand Rugby Union: Ecological Study
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Rugby Union Injuries to the Cervical Spine and Spinal Cord
This article addresses one of the most critical safety concerns in rugby union: cervical spine injuries. These injuries, ranging from recoverable to fatal, represent a significant risk to players and have been a focal point of rugby safety research and policy for decades. The study provides a comprehensive overview of our current understanding of spinal injuries in rugby, drawing from various case reports and studies to illuminate the mechanisms, frequency, and evolving trends of these severe injuries.
The research highlights the changing landscape of spinal injury risk in rugby, noting a shift from scrum-related injuries predominant in the 1980s to an increasing proportion occurring during tackles in the 1990s. It also identifies specific player positions at higher risk and examines how factors like field conditions and player conditioning influence injury rates.
Crucially, this work underscores the challenges in tracking injury trends and evaluating prevention strategies due to a lack of robust epidemiological studies. The authors call for more rigorous research to better understand risk factors such as age, grade, position, gender, and ethnicity, as well as to assess the long-term impacts of rugby participation on spinal health.