1. Rugby Ready
2015/16

2. HOUSEKEEPING Opportunity to Observe, Coach & Referee Mobiles Phones
Have a go!
Facilities
Mobiles Phones
Enjoy
Opportunity to Observe, Coach & Referee
Practical involvement desirable
Fire
Refreshments
Toilets
Dining
Facilities
Rooms

3. Why Rugby Ready?
Rugby is a full contact sport which carries a risk of injury, and the safety of all players is therefore of paramount importance:
Clubs have a responsibility to provide a safe environment, safe equipment and first aid cover for training and matches
Coaches have a responsibility to prepare players to participate safely and to NOT select players who are unfit to play
Officials have a responsibility for ensuring player safety through their game management and the consistent application of the laws
Players have a responsibility for their own safety, and for the safety of others
Tutors to set the context of the course and emphasise the collective responsibility all have in managing the welfare and safety of players

4. The Course – 3 Hours Time Content 45 Mins. Indoor 120 Mins. Practical
Welcome & Introduction
Policy Updates – Laws, Regulations, Guidance
Equipment and Environment
Injury Prevention
Dealing with injuries
120 Mins.
Practical
Elements
Warm up & injury prevention
Body position in contact
Developing front row players – TOP & 1 v 1
Building & Coaching the scrum
Tackle safety
Coaching the Tackle
15 Mins.
Summary
Timing as a guide, but essential to get a balance with the greatest amount of time spent practically, introducing and developing peoples knowledge and understanding of the warm-up, body position, scrum and tackle.

5. Task 1
What are the key considerations and implications for player safety with:
Equipment and environment
Injury prevention
Dealing with injuries / concussion
Tutors to organise participants into groups of no more than 4/5 and for there to be equal distribution across the three themes for:
* Equipment and environment
* Injury prevention
* Dealing with injuries
10 minutes group work
25 minutes to feedback and utilise the following slides to emphasise key points and ‘research alerts’
ake feedback
Display on flipchart or post-its

6. Environment & Equipment
Responsibilities – ensure a safe training/playing environment:
What sorts of hazards might you look for?
Animal faeces
Broken glass
Broken posts
Surface:
Weather – frozen, sun-baked, flooded
Conditions:
Cold/hot/wet
Wind chill
Sunburn
Not an exhaustive List
Tutors to utilise as a support resource, based on qualitative feedback from group

7. Use of Equipment Scrum machines / sleds
Is your scrum machine checked regularly as safe to use?
Do your coaches know how to use it?
Is it appropriate for the age group you are coaching?
Posts
Are your goal posts and post-protectors safe?
Are your corner and touchline posts safe?
Tackle Shields/Pads
Ensure these are in good order & safe
RESEARCH ALERT!
From the FA - Several serious injuries and
fatalities have occurred in recent
years as a result of unsafe or
incorrect use of goalposts.
Tutors to utilise as a support resource, based on qualitative feedback from group.
Make reference to ‘Research Alert’ for injuries related to unsafe or incorrect use of goal post.

8. Player Equipment Mouth guards:
It is strongly recommended that all players wear a mouth guard during contact training and matches.
A well fitting mouth guard protects the teeth and surrounding soft tissues, and can prevent a broken jaw.
Do not protect against concussion
Head guards:
Must comply with IRB Standards
Does not prevent concussion
Check:
Studs/blades
Body padding
Leggings
Tutors to utilise as a support resource, based on qualitative feedback from group.
Some schools / clubs insist on players wearing mouthguards
IRB Regulation 12 – clothing- includes banned items
Law 4 ‘players clothing’ applies

9. Injury Prevention – Are Your Players Rugby Ready ?
Core techniques
Tackle
Scrum
Physical preparation:
Pre-season training
Physical literacy
Strength & power training
Vulnerable individuals:
High Risk Behaviours
Previous Injuries
Overplaying/training:
Fatigue increases the risk of injury
RESEARCH ALERT!
55 % of injuries in adult rugby result from the tackle
RESEARCH ALERT!
Weight training must be supervised by a suitably qualified coach – training injury rates are higher where this is not the case
RESEARCH ALERT!
Recurrent injuries usually take longer to recover from and players must recover fully before returning to play
Tutors to utilise as a support resource, based on qualitative feedback from group.
Make reference to ‘Research Alert’ for:
The Tackle - Importance of correct coaching and technique
Supervision by qualified coach when weight training
Recovery from injuries
Tutor to be familiar with the CRISP report for the RFU.
Community Rugby Injury Surveillance Report

10. Dealing With Injuries - IRB Regulation 9 - player safety
The safety of all players is of paramount importance and therefore all clubs must ensure that, wherever the game is played or training conducted:
There is appropriate first aid cover and equipment provided, determined by a risk assessment
There is access to a telephone to ensure emergency services can be called
There is clear vehicular access for an ambulance or other emergency vehicle
Further details as to what safety requirements are appropriate and should be in place for each level of the game are set out at
Tutors to utilise as a support resource, based on qualitative feedback from group.
Additional requirements concerning:
Injury reporting – admitted to hospital or death within 6 hours
Concussion – must comply with IRB Reg 10 and any requirements issued by RFU – Tutors have an awareness of the touch line concussion test

11. Serious Injuries
Question…. How would you deal with a potentially serious injury while coaching or refereeing?
Speak to the player - without prompting any movement
Call for help – first aider.
Call for an ambulance – once assessed by first aider and/or:
If you suspect a very serious injury
If the player is not breathing
Do not allow the player to move - they may have suffered a severe neck injury, and yet still be able to move. If the spine is unstable, and they are moved, they run the risk of permanent paralysis.
Stay with the player and reassure them
Keep the player warm until professional help arrives.
In the event of a suspected life or limb threatening injury, it is important that everyone - players, coaches, referees and administrators - knows what to do. Ask the question- How many in the group are first aid trained (EFA) ? Refer back to the RFU first aid link, recommend attending courses etc.. A referee may order a player from the field of play if he/she is not satisfied the player is fit to carry on…Coaches must not allow clearly unfit players to play/re-enter the field of play or train - Think - Duty Of care
What is the club’s Emergency Plan- Where is it kept ??

12. HEADCASE – www.englandrugby.com/headcase
Concussion Injuries
Concussion can be serious: IF…
Players continue playing with concussion
Players return to play before fully recovered
In young players
If mistaken for a more serious brain injury
Do you know the 4 ‘R’s of concussion ?
RECOGNISE
REMOVE
RECOVER
RETURN
HEADCASE –
Online education modules for players, parents, coaches, and match officials
Resources
RESEARCH ALERT!
Young players’ brains are still developing and are more vulnerable to injury
Tutors to utilise as a support resource, based on qualitative feedback from group.
Make reference to ‘Research Alert’ for:
Young players – brains still developing and are more vulnerable to injury
Recognise – The Symptoms
Remove- The Player from the game/training
Recover – Players must follow the recovery protocol
Return – only when passed fit again
Reference - the 5th R…Refer the group to the Headcase work carried out by Dr Mike England and the RFU- Refer them to the web site
Tutors should acquaint themselves ahead of delivering Rugby Ready
New online education resources now available – Educators to be familiar with these

13. IF IN DOUBT, SIT THEM OUT!
RECOGNISE – know the symptoms and signs of concussion.
Remember you do not need to be knocked out to
have a concussion.
REMOVE – any player with suspected concussion, right away.
Continuing to play increases their risk of more
severe injury, and longer lasting concussion
symptoms, as well as increasing their risk of other
injury.
RECOVER – take time to fully recover as you would with any
other injury.
RETURN – all players must follow a step-wise Graduated
Return to Play (GRTP) and must not go back to
rugby/sport until they have been cleared to do so
by a doctor
Copy of our Headcase Club poster for information to tutor.
– hard plastic fixed to changing room walls.
Highlights the key 4R principles of:
Recognise
Remove
Recover
Return

14. RFU- Reportable Injury Events
Injuries that have resulted in the player being admitted to hospital… Does not include those who attend A&E and discharged.
Deaths that occur during or within 6 hour of the game finishing.
Reporting Helpline
RFU- Reportable Injury Events
Reporting Helpline
In the very rare cases of spinal cord injury or serious brain injury, the RFU Injured Players Foundation will provide immediate support to players, their families and club

15. UPDATES New Rules of Play Under 7’s – Under 11
During delivery of the practical element of the course draw attention to New Rules of Play for U7 to U11 as mandatory for the game. Also point out here the maximum playing times for age grade rugby

16. RugbySafe
The RFU’s overarching player safety and wellbeing programme to support clubs, schools, colleges, universities and participants at all levels of the game.
It covers different elements of the game to ensure everything we can to make rugby as safe as possible.
High quality coaching, officiating, medical support and appropriate player behaviour in line with the core values all contribute to reducing the risk of injury occurring.

17. The Tackle & Tackle Safety- practical element
RESEARCH ALERT!
Keeping ‘Eyes-up’ into the tackle can prevent serious neck injuries
Technique: Side on tackle
Eyes-up
Cheek-to-cheek,
Ring of steel
Progression:
Squat → standing up, walking ->
running, side/front rear tackles
Zero tolerance of dangerous tackles:
‘Spear’ tackle
Tip tackle
High tackle
Collision (no arms used)
RESEARCH ALERT!
Poor head position will cause head and neck injuries – in adult rugby 72% of all concussion injuries are sustained in the tackle.
Revisit importance of correct tackle technique when returning indoors (if required). Tutor notes also evidence the need to emphasise these aspects during practical delivery.
Emphasise Research alerts
‘Eyes up’ in the tackle can prevent serious neck injuries
Poor head position and incidence of concussion sustain in the tackle
Collisions more likely to result in an injury than a legal tackle.
RESEARCH ALERT!
Collisions were 70% more likely to result in an injury than a legal tackle

18. Summary
Hopefully you now have a full understanding of what it takes to be Rugby Ready. Recap…
Ensure the environment and equipment are safe
Have an Emergency Plan, first aid cover present, and know how to deal with potentially serious injuries until help arrives
Ensure players are prepared and prepare thoroughly
Develop and continuously revisit safe techniques
Do not tolerate foul play
If you follow these Rugby Ready steps as a player, coach, referee, or administrator you will enjoy your Rugby even more.
Again emphasis on duty of care-player welfare
Importance of collaboration between coaches, referees and players
Coaching resources on My Rugby Academy
Where next:
Children’s Rugby (U9 – U12)
UKCC Level 1
Coaching Children CPD
Coaching the XV Aside Game
Scrum Factory as a pre-requisite to UKCC Level 2

19. Practical
Please ensure you are wearing suitable footwear and remove watches, glasses and jewellery
‘England Rugby’ and the RFU Rose are trade marks of the Rugby Football Union.