| RugbySafe Toolkit 2021-22 The new RugbySafe Toolkit for the 2021-22 season is a series of online resources covering information on various player welfare topics, it provides guidance to support clubs and other rugby activity organisers in delivering best practice. The RugbySafe Toolkit includes: • Being RugbySafe – Player welfare guiding principles and best practice • RugbySafe Essential Guides & Resources • Community Rugby Pitch-side First Aid and Immediate Care Provision Guidelines • Emergency First Aid and Immediate Care Training – including the EFARU course • HEADCASE – Concussion Awareness Programme • Activate – Injury Prevention Exercise Programme • Mental Wellbeing Guidance To access the RugbySafe Toolkit document, please visit the RugbySafe homepage below. RugbySafe Homepage |
| Introducing Activate Kids Many people will be familiar with Activate, the RFU’s injury prevention exercise programme which should be integrated into training and pre-match sessions. The programme has been designed and improved to increase functional and core strength, balance and agility and can help: • Improve playing performance. • Prepare players for the physical demands of the game. • Reduce the risk of injury including concussion, as well as supporting rehabilitation post injury. • Mean more players are available (due to less players being injured). The 2021-22 season sees the introduction of Activate Kids. Coaches in the U7 – U12 age groups can add an extra 15 minutes to the regulated age grade training time limits to include Activate within the session. Activate Kids uses the principles of the main Activate programme and other recognised physical literacy components appropriate for younger children. The Activate Kids resources provide coaches at the U7 – U12 age groups with a framework and ideas for integrating Activate into training and pre-match preparations. The Activate Kids resources can be found on the Activate homepage below. The Youth (U13-14, U15-16, U17-U18) and Adult Activate programmes and supporting resources can be found on the Activate homepage. Activate Homepage |
| Age Grade Tackle Height Changes (Regulation 15) As part of our continual evolution of player welfare initiatives, a law change to the tackle height in age grade rugby will come into effect for the 2021-22 season. The existing rules for those playing full contact rugby at U9 to U14 levels has an imagined line between the armpits as the maximum height of a legal tackle. This will continue. Under the law change, these rules will now extend across all U15 to U18 age groups, bringing the tackle height down from shoulder level to the armpit. This means that age grade players from U9-U18 will play to the same tackle height law. Players participating at U7 and U8 level will continue to play non-contact rugby. Watch the following videos for more information. Law Change Information Law Guidance |
| Research Webinar The next instalment of the RugbySafe webinar series is now available. This webinar covers the topic of player welfare research, it will be a pre-recorded session and will be available to watch on-demand. The webinar will provide an overview of the RFU’s approach and involvement in research, discuss the Community Rugby Injury Surveillance and Prevention (CRISP) project, what it is, the insight and understanding it brings to the game and how clubs and teams can play their part and continue to be involved. We will also provide more information on the new age grade tackle height law changes and evaluation. Available on YouTube, watch the RugbySafe Research Webinar below. Research Webinar |
| Get involved in Player Safety Research The RFU are looking for clubs and team across the adult men’s, women’s and age grade game (both schools and clubs) to get involved in the CRISP project to continue the understanding and insight of injury risk across the game. A short video provides an overview of the CRISP project and how to get involved. Clubs and schools can register their expression of interest to get involved below. Watch Video Get Involved |
| Regulation 9.3 information Regulation 9.3 now includes that clubs must complete a risk assessment and ensure an appropriate level of immediate care and/or first aid cover and equipment is in place for the rugby activity to take place as determined by the risk assessment. We also continue to highly recommend that clubs and other rugby activity providers comply with the RugbySafe First Aid/Immediate Care Provision Guidelines. A new version for the 2021-22 season is available as part of the new RugbySafe Toolkit. RugbySafe Toolkit |
| Risk Assessment Tool & Injury & Incident Reporting App To help with completing a First Aid risk assessment and other risk assessments, the RFU has worked with our legal partner Howden to create an online Risk Assessment Tool which guides clubs through the various areas they should consider when managing the risk of injury at their club. The tool has been designed to guide users through a series of questions relating to areas they should be considering. Many of the risk management measures highlighted will already be in place and these will be recorded in the risk assessment, the tool creates a risk assessment/action plan, to record these answers, which can be referenced by the club and used to implement further risk management actions if necessary. The RFU online Risk Assessment Tool can be accessed below. Clubs sign in using their club name and postcode. Developed in collaboration with Howden and the RFU, the Proactive Digital injury and incident reporting app offers an affordable (just £50 per season) option for clubs to effectively, efficiently and securely log on and off the field injuries/incidents and complete pre-session checks. Please click below to sign up for the Proactive Reporting System Risk Assessment Tool Reporting System |
