The fair sex? Foul play among female rugby players

doi:10.1016/S1440-2440(05)80030-1

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport

Volume 8, Issue 1, March 2005, Pages 101-110

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1440-2440(05)80030-1 Get rights and content

Rugby, a full contact sport, exposes participants to a high risk of injury. While several studies have explored injuries among male rugby players, few have investigated injuries among females. We conducted a cross-sectional study of United States of America (USA) female rugby players to assess the players' perception of foul play and the referee response to foul play and to evaluate the association between players' perception of foul play and injury. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire reporting injury status, history of player perceived foul play and referee response was administered to 258 players recruited at a women's rugby tournament. The overall rate of injury was 4.4 injuries/100 matches, 0.2 injuries/100 practices and 1.4 injuries/100 total rugby exposures (matches and practices), with 107 (41.5%) players classified as injured. While 16.5% of players admitted to perpetrating foul play without an assessed penalty and 13.8% to being penalised for foul play, a smaller proportion reported being sent to the ‘sin bin’ (temporarily removed from play) or being ejected from a match (3.3% and 1.3% respectively). Of the 107 injured, 24.3% believed they had been injured as a result of foul play. Among all 258 players, self-perception of having been hurt due to unpenalised foul play was associated with study-defined injury (OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.0–5.9, p=0.046). To make the sport safer, efforts should be made to minimise foul play. Suggested preventive methods include educating referees, coaches and players about the prevalence of foul play in women's rugby and the association between foul play and injury.

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Training injury incidence in an amateur women's rugby union team in New Zealand over two consecutive seasons
2021, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
Citation Excerpt :
As rugby union is a collision sport, players are exposed to repeat high-intensity activities (e.g. running, tackling, rucks, mauls, passing and sprinting) interspersed with short bouts of low intensity activity (e.g. jogging and walking).2 As a consequence of the participation of players in match and training activities, there is an increased risk of musculoskeletal injuries occurring.2 In addition to this, there are biomechanical factors to consider with females reportedly having lower physiological capacities (e.g. reduced speed and less agility, lower muscular strength and power, and lower estimated maximal aerobic power) when compared with males, placing them at a higher injury risk.3
To describe the training injury incidence in amateur women’s rugby union in New Zealand over two consecutive seasons.
A prospective cohort observational study
A total of 69 amateur women’s rugby 15s team playerswere observed. Training exposure and training injury incidence were calculated.
The 38 training injuries resulted in a total injury incidence of 11.4 (8.3–15.6) per 1,000 training-hours. There were 12 injuries that resulted in a time-loss injury incidence of 3.6 (95% CI: 2.0–6.3) per 1,000 training-hours. Forwards recorded more total (RR: 1.8 [95% CI: 0.9–3.5]; p = 0.0516) and time-loss (RR: 2.0 [95% CI: 0.6–6.6]; p = 0.2482) injuries than Backs. The tackle was the most common injury cause for total (3.0 [95% CI: 1.6–5.6] per 1,000 training-hours.) injuries, but collisions (1.5 [95% CI: 0.6–3.6] per 1,000 training-hours.) with the ground or another person were the most common cause for time-loss injuries.The training injuries occurred most often to the lower limb and during the latter part of training sessions. These injuries were mostly minor in nature resulting in minimal time-loss away from training.
The time-loss injury incidence (3.6 per 1,000 training-hours.) for the amateur women’s rugby 15s team players was higher than that reported for National (1.2 per 1,000 training-hours.) and Rugby World Cup for women (0.2 to 3.0 per 1,000 training-hours.) competitions.
The training injury incidence in amateur women’s rugby union in New Zealand was higher than that reported for national and international rugby union injury incidences.
Female rugby union injuries in New Zealand: A review of five years (2013–2017) of Accident Compensation Corporation moderate to severe claims and costs
2019, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
Citation Excerpt :
This was unexpected as the nature of rugby union require tackling, being tackled, acceleration, deceleration and change of direction at all levels of participation.25 The percentage of lower limb injuries recorded in this study are similar to previous studies reporting on rugby union (44%,5 46%,3 52%26 and 66%4). The most commonly injured anatomical site was the knee for rugby union (40%) and again this was expected.
To provide epidemiological data and related costs for moderate-to-serious and serious injury claims for women’s rugby union in New Zealand.
A retrospective analytical review of injury entitlement claims for women’s rugby from 2013 to 2017.
Data were analysed by year of competition, age, body site and injury type for total and moderate-to-severe (MSC) Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) claims and costs.
Over 2013 to 2017 there were 26,070 total claims for female rugby union costing $18,440,812 [AD$16,956,998]. The 15–19-year age group recorded 40% (n = 1,009) of the total female rugby union Moderate-to-serious and serious (MSC) claims and 41% ($5,419,157 [AD$4,983,112]) of the total female rugby union MSC costs. The knee was the most commonly recorded injury site accounting for 40.3% (n = 1,007) of MSC claims and 46.9% ($6,229,714 [AD$5,728732]) of MSC costs with an average cost of $1,245,943 ±$217,796 [AD$595,351 ±AD$104,070] per-year for female rugby union.
This is the first study to report the nature and related costs for moderate-to-serious and serious injury claims for women’s rugby union in New Zealand. A total of 26,070 injury claims were lodged over the duration of the study but only 9.6% (n = 2,501) of these were classified as MSC injury entitlement claims. Participants 25 years and older accounted for 31% of the female rugby union player claims. Females in the over 35-year age groups compete against younger participants which may account for the higher mean cost per-claim seen as the age groups increase in years until they retire from the game.
Epidemiology of match orthopedic injuries sustained by rugby union players. Review of the literature
2010, Journal de Traumatologie du Sport
Exposer les données issues d’études épidémiologiques internationales sur le thème de la traumatologie orthopédique liée à la pratique du rugby à XV, en identifiant la fréquence des événements traumatiques et certains de leurs facteurs associés.
Les études épidémiologiques sur la traumatologie liée à la pratique du rugby à XV ont été identifiées soit sur la base de données internationales PubMed, soit dans des revues avec comité de lecture. Seules les études pour lesquelles la méthodologie employée était précisée ont été retenues pour notre analyse de la littérature.
La quasi-totalité des études recensées ont été réalisées sur des joueurs anglo-saxons et de sexe masculin. Malgré le fait que la définition de blessure ne soit pas toujours la même entre les études, l’évolution de l’incidence des blessures chez les joueurs de rugby indique une augmentation de la traumatologie en match depuis l’avènement du professionnalisme en 1995, après la troisième Coupe du Monde de Rugby. Le plaquage est la situation de jeu en contact la plus souvent déclarée en cas de blessure mais les phases de mêlée et de collisions sont celles qui présentent le risque de blessure consécutive le plus élevé. Les accidents musculaires figurent parmi les lésions les plus fréquentes et la mise en place de programmes de prévention permet de réduire leur fréquence. Les traumatismes du genou sont les plus fréquents parmi les traumatismes engendrant les plus grands délais d’indisponibilité. Également, grâce à des programmes de prévention, la fréquence et la gravité des traumatismes du crâne et du rachis ont diminué. Ne devant pas faire partie du jeu, les situations de jeu irrégulières sont tout de même identifiées à l’origine de 10 à 15 % des blessures.
La tendance générale tant au niveau français qu’au niveau international plaide en faveur d’une majoration de la fréquence de la traumatologie orthopédique en rugby depuis l’avènement du professionnalisme. Une méthodologie standardisée (validée et reproductible) et maîtrisée est indispensable pour l’élaboration et l’évaluation de stratégies de prévention efficaces tant aux niveaux primaire que secondaire et tertiaire.
To undertake a review of international epidemiological studies on match orthopedic injuries among rugby union players in order to define their frequency and some of their associated factors.
Studies for this review were selected as identified by the PubMed medical database and/or published in reviewed journals. Only studies for which the methodology was described were selected at the final step.
Most of the studies reviewed concerned anglo-saxon and male players. Despite the fact that the definition of injury was not the same between all studies, our review indicates that the traumatology in rugby union players is increasing since the coming of professionalism after the third IRB World Cup in 1995. Tackle was the most frequent game event cited when an injury occured but the risk for an injury was increased for scrum and collision. Muscular strains were identified as frequent injuries and prevention programs can help to reduce their incidence. Knee was the most injured localization cited for injuries with a subsequent indisponibility. As for muscle strains, prevention programs led to a decline of the frequency and the seriousness of head and spine injuries. Even though forbidden, foul play events were identified for 10 to 15% of the injuries.
Our review indicates that the traumatology in rugby union players is increasing since the coming of professionalism. A standardized (internal validity and reliability) and mastered methodology must be defined and applied in order to develop and to assess primary, secondary and tertiary prevention strategies.
The Incidence, Cost, and Burden of Concussion in Women’s Rugby League and Rugby Union: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis
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Applied sports science and sports medicine in women's rugby: systematic scoping review and Delphi study to establish future research priorities
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“I never really felt unsafe”: Exploring Aspects of Risk Perception in Elite Canadian Women's Rugby Union
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View all citing articles on Scopus

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Original ResearchThe fair sex? Foul play among female rugby players

J Hand Surg

Frontiers, RUGBY

WomenSports

United States of America Football Union Media and Public Relations Liaison, Phone conversation of 7 December

Attitudes to mouthguards and prevalence of orofacial injuries in four teams competing at the second rugby world cup

Br J Sports Med

A prospective study of the incidence and nature of injuries to adult rugby players

S Afr Med J

Schoolboy rugby injuries, 1969–1986

Med J Aust

Epidemiology of rugby football injuries

Lancet

Injuries sustained by users and non-users of gum shields in local rugby union

Br J Sports Med

Epidemiological comparison of injuries in school and senior club rugby

Br J Sports Med

The epidemiology of schoolboy rugby injuries

S Afr Med J

The impact of the 21st century on rugby injuries

Spinal Cord

Rugby football injuries 1980–1983

Br J Sports Med

Half a million hours of rugby football: the injuries

Br J Sports Med

Original Research
The fair sex? Foul play among female rugby players