World Rugby statement: MND study findings on ex-Scottish players
World Rugby has welcomed the findings of a study which revealed concerning evidence of a considerably increased risk of motor neurone disease among former players and called for the elimination of contact training and a reduction in the global calendar.
A study led by the University of Glasgow looking at former Scotland internationals – from both the amateur era and later professional players – found ex-rugby players had more than twice the risk of neurodegenerative disease, and a 15-times higher risk of a motor neurone disease diagnosis.
Consultant neuropathologist Prof Willie Stewart, who led the research, said it raised immediate questions for rugby authorities to mitigate the risks. “I am genuinely concerned about what is happening in the modern game and that if in 20 years’ time we repeat this study we would see something even more concerning,” Stewart said.
“Rugby has talked a lot and done a lot about head injury management and whether it can reduce head injury during (training). Those conversations have gone on for a while and the pace of progress is pretty slow. This should be a stimulus to them to pick up their heels to make some pretty dramatic changes as quickly as possible to try and reduce risk.
“Instead of talking about extending seasons and introducing new competitions and global seasons they should be talking about restricting it as much as possible, cutting back on the amount of rugby we’re seeing and getting rid of as much training as possible. Things like that have to be addressed pretty rapidly.”
'The days of training pitch punch-ups that many old-school rugby fans laughed about are nearing an end'
World Rugby’s Chief Medical officer Dr Eanna Falvey goes deep on #concussion and why following data and not emotions is key, with @OwainJTJones ??? https://t.co/xoMCPE7SQb
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Asked by the PA news agency about those specific recommendations, a World Rugby spokesperson said: “World Rugby introduced new contact training load limit guidance of 15 minutes per week in August 2021. This is currently being evaluated as part of the biggest ever study in sport of smart mouthguard technology. The results will inform the future of this important area.
“Equally, everyone in the sport is committed to determining an optimised men’s calendar, like the women’s, that prioritises player welfare and rest, while most unions already limit the number of minutes or matches their players can play.”
World Rugby’s chief medical officer Dr Eanna Falvey also said in a statement: “World Rugby welcomes the findings from the University of Glasgow and Professor Stewart’s call for further research into neurodegenerative disease in rugby.
“Innovation that is led by science and research is a central pillar of our six-point plan to make the sport we all care deeply about the most progressive in the world on player welfare. At World Rugby, we have an independent concussion working group that considers all the latest academic research and findings.
“This enables us to have a constant and open conversation about what changes to the game may be appropriate and where further research may need to be focussed to help us drive forward our player welfare plan.
“World Rugby will never stand still on player welfare. To date, we have invested over €10million in welfare studies including the largest study into head impacts in community sport anywhere in the world and a study of health outcomes for over 3,000 retired rugby players, both delivered in partnership with New Zealand Rugby.
“We will continue to build on this work in our quest to make our game as safe as it can possibly be for players at all levels within the rugby family.”
The study, published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, compared health outcomes among 412 male, former Scottish international rugby players and over 1,200 matched individuals from the general population.
It was part-funded by the Football Association and Professional Footballers’ Association, building on the landmark 2019 study which found former professional footballers had an approximately three and a half times higher rate of death from neurodegenerative disease than expected.
Stewart said the numbers found had come as a big surprise and more work – including a broader study – was now needed to fully understand their meaning, although the immediate message for the game was clear.
Asked what steps should be taken within the game, he added: “Contact training during the week should be viewed as virtually a thing of the past, getting rid of as much as possible. Look at the number of matches being played and ask, ‘Is this credible that young men and women can be playing week-in, week-out, for the majority of the year just for entertainment?”
Progressive Rugby, a non-profit lobby group, called for the game’s authorities to heed the “further troubling evidence” of the study and “stop avoiding the inconvenient truth”. Professor John Fairclough said: “Rugby remains a wonderful game but at the elite level it has become a contest featuring such brutal collisions that urgent changes, as outlined in Progressive Rugby’s seven-point plan published in August, are needed to better protect the short and long-term health of the players.
“Within that plan we highlight the importance of reducing exposure of players to contact training, restricting the number of games, and providing protected rest periods as well as implementing more cautious return-to-play protocols.
“If the governing bodies truly wish to secure the future of this great game for future generations it’s time for them to stop avoiding the inconvenient truth and act swiftly to demonstrate player welfare really is the game’s number one priority.”
Dr Susan Kohlhaas, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, called for further research into head injuries in sport. “At Alzheimer’s Research UK, we have outlined the most important priorities for researchers to complete the picture, including studying the impact of head injuries in women, at grass roots, and in the modern game, none of which were the focus of this research,” said Dr Kohlhaas.
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments