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World Rugby to make permanent use of a 2019 RWC concussion tactic
World Rugby has announced that the use of independent concussion consultants – an initiative used at the 2019 World Cup in Japan after it initially featured at England 2015 – will be introduced to support the graduated return to play process in elite rugby following a confirmed concussion.
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A panel of independent concussion consultants (ICC) will be made available to the game to provide independent expert opinions on whether a player should return to play following the successful completion of the six-stage graduated return to play process for elite competitions. This panel of ICC experts will be fully funded by World Rugby.
It will now be mandatory for teams to seek an ICC review in the following scenarios:
- If a player has a confirmed concussion and return to play within or on the tenth day is expected, then the team doctor must seek an ICC review regarding return to play.
- Reflecting the sport’s focus on an individualised approach to concussion management, players deemed higher risk in the following scenarios will undergo an ICC review when they are deemed fit to return to play irrespective of the time taken to return:
1. Players who have been concussed within the last three months;
2. Players with two or more concussions in the last twelve months;
3. If a player has had five or more concussions since starting to play rugby.
A statement on the setting up of the ICC panel of experts read: “World Rugby has identified a global panel of experts who will act as independent concussion consultants to operate across the international level of the game, starting this month. For domestic competitions, unions may avail of this panel or appoint their own, in accordance with minimum criteria. The panel will operate independently of any World Rugby input.
It hasn't taken long for the governing body to say its piece in the wake of ex-England forward Haskell generating headlines with his new Progressive Rugby lobby grouphttps://t.co/EssLghCs4L
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 18, 2021
“Rugby’s concussion return to play protocols are aligned with expert opinion and are managed on an individual basis. The independent concussion consultant review process builds on the environment that has successfully operated at the last two men’s Rugby World Cups, supporting team doctors with additional and objective expert opinion, recognising the imperative to manage players on an individual basis as they exit the six-stage graduated return to play process.
“There is no set timeframe for completion of the six-stage graduated return to play protocol with the player having to progress through each stage without the presence of any symptoms or signs of a concussion. Currently, via this player-first, supervised return to play process, less than a third of players return to action within seven days following a concussion.
“This return to play protocol, combined with the head injury assessment (HIA) process used to assess head injuries during and after a game, has transformed the identification, removal and supervision of players with a concussion in elite rugby, an approach followed by other sports.
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“The announcement forms a key part of World Rugby’s player welfare action plan focusing on six key focus areas, including science and research, of which this initiative is central.”
Eanna Falvey, the World Rugby chief medical officer, said: “We have successfully operated a programme of independent concussion consultants at previous World Cups, providing an invaluable resource for team doctors when there have been tight turnaround times between matches, or where team doctors have sought support in their decision-making on return to play.
“Our commitment to expanding this initiative across the elite game, making leading experts available for all competitions, is another major step forward in our player welfare commitment. It completely recognises and supports the need to ensure an individualised player approach based on risk, rather than an arbitrary stand downtime.”
'…he came into the changing room on his own, grabbed one of the coaches & said, ‘Can you grab Charlie?’
Rising England prospect @atkinsonc_ talks to @heagneyl ???about his rise, being thrown in the deep end at @WaspsRugby & THAT Farrell tackle #ENGvUSA https://t.co/GJbBXQ2VeU
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 4, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
An 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!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 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.
25 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.
25 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 commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
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