World Rugby funding kicks off international collaboration to reduce injuries in girls’ rugby

Injury prevention experts at the University will partner with the University of Calgary (Canada) in a major project to improve player safety for girls- rugby. Leading sports scientists and rugby specialists from the UK and Canada are teaming up in a major new project aimed at reducing injuries and concussion for the growing numbers of girls playing the sport. A three-year project, funded by World Rugby (the world governing body for rugby union), begins in advance of this autumn's Women's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand which will see increased interest in women's participation in the game. The work, led by the University of Calgary (Dr Stephen West and Professor Carolyn Emery), will build on ground-breaking research by the University of Bath which has seen a new training preventative exercise programme for youth and community rugby - known as -Activate developed, tested and rolled out internationally. -Activate- is a simple and dynamic programme designed to be practised by players as part of their regular training regime. A 2017 study into its effectiveness in boys- rugby showed a massive reduction in injuries and concussions - by 72% and 59% respectively - when the programme was carried out at least three times a week. With over 2.7 million players worldwide, women's rugby is one of the fastest growing sports internationally.