RFU Statement 2024-02-05

At the end of last week (W/C 29/01/2024), several media outlets have reported on a study suggesting allowing children to play rugby is child abuse.  The nature of this study and reporting has provoked a strong reaction against it.  The RFU response is as follows.

“Player welfare has and will continue to be our top priority. 

“PE in school is compulsory however rugby is not. It is up to schools how they organise their PE curriculum and the RFU and England Rugby Football Schools Union work closely to support teachers and coaches with guidance and resources, especially around players’ safety and welfare.

“We recognise that contact sport does not appeal to everyone. Rugby for young people at schools or clubs in England exists in different forms, both contact, reduced contact and non-contact.

 “Rugby has established and been at the forefront of concussion and injury surveillance, education, and law changes using evidence to proactively manage player welfare.  This includes the lowering of the tackle height in the community game this season.  In the professional game we are using smart mouthguard technology to study the magnitude and frequency of head impacts in matches and training this will aid decision making around future interventions and protocols.

 “RugbySafe is the RFU’s overarching community player safety and wellbeing programme including the Headcase concussion and awareness programme. It offers resources to support clubs, colleges, schools, universities, players and parents. Headcase aligns to the Government’s UK Concussion Guidelines for Grassroots Sport launched last spring; the RFU was involved in its development and its key message is that if there is any doubt a player should ‘sit it out’.  

 “Playing rugby provides significant physical and mental health benefits along with life skills gained from playing a team sport which has strong values.  Against a backdrop of decreased physical activity and a global obesity epidemic in children, we believe rugby has a role to play in keeping people active, healthy and engaged.  It is also crucial that we remember other non-physical positive benefits of contact and non-contact rugby for all ages, including increasing confidence, self-esteem, self-discipline and building character, as well as the physical benefits of engaging in enjoyable exercise whilst working as part of a team.”