Player Welfare
Player welfare is World Rugby’s number one priority and it should be the number one priority of every rugby organisation. Everyone involved in the organisation has a duty of care in relation to the players and every step should be taken to mitigate against potential risk.
For further guidance and advice on how to mitigate risk please visit Rugby Ready and ensure you have completed the online learning module. Here you will find various downloads to help to mitigate against risk. We also request that you have completed the Concussion Management for General Public online module
The following are recommendations that you can follow to help mitigate risk in your rugby organisation:
Your rugby facility
- Ensure your facility has an appropriate Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place – you may use the template available here
- Ensure you have completed a full risk assessment of your facility and equipment, and ensure it is fit for purpose, follows regulation and is in good repair
Your people
- Ensure your organisation profiles its players before they participate and that they are physically prepared according to best practice – you may use the template available here
- Where possible, provide a qualified first aider, with appropriate equipment at every training session or Complete our online First Aid in Rugby module and encourage your coaches, referees and volunteers to complete face-to-face training.
- Ensure all involved within the game in your organisation are aware of the Recognise and Remove process for concussion management, and your organisation promotes best practice.
- Ensure all injuries are managed appropriately
- Ensure all coaches are appropriately qualified to coach the age and stage of players they are working with and follow best coaching and safeguarding practice accordingly
Your organisation
- Ensure your organisation has suitable injury reporting processes in place in accordance with best practice set by your union and/or World Rugby.
- Where possible, it is beneficial for your players to be insured against injury
- Where possible, it is beneficial for your organisation to have liability insurance
- Ensure it follows Safeguarding policies in accordance with applicable legislation, codes of practice and best practice guidelines relevant to the jurisdictions in which it operates.
- Ensure your coaches and medics follow best practice in delivery of injury prevention programmes such as Activate, Rugby Ready,Tackle Ready and Breakdown Ready
- Ensure all roles within the organisation are filled with well-trained, confident and competent individuals.