Just How Dangerous is Rugby?

JUST HOW DANGEROUS RUGBY IS Rugby players are welltknown for their excessive drinking, massive shoulders and the repeated assertion that theirs is one of the most dangerous sports going They don't wear girly pads and helmets like those American Football sissies In the build up to the final of the extremely competitive Heineken Cup, 19 May 2012, we decided to find out if there was any truth behind the claims. INJURIES 746 AVERAGE AMOUNT OF INURIES IN THE ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP 62 2 MATCH INJURIES PER CLUB OVER ONE SEASON INJURIES PER CLUB, PER MATCH THIS IS AS MANY AS IN 4 PLAYERS SUFFERING AN INJURY DURING A SEASON, WITH EACH PLAYER PERFORMING AS MANY AS 40 TACKLES ON AVERAGE PER MATCH THERE ARE 93 INJURIES PER 1000 HOURS THIS RATE OF INJURY IN A GAME OF RUGBY IS REPORTED TO BE NEARLY 3X HIGHER THAN FOOTBALL AND AMERICAN FOOTBALL. 50% of all injuries occur while a player is involved in a TACKLE 0-20 mins TIME OF INJURY DURING THE MATCH – OCCURRING FAR MORE 21-40 mins 41 - 60 mins OFTEN IN THE SECOND HALF 2010-2011 SEASON 61 - 80 mins HOOKERS & FLANKERS SUSTAIN MORE INJURIES THAN ANY OTHER PLAYER FORWARDS ARE MORE FREQUENTLY INJURED THAN BACKS BECAUSE OF THEIR GREATER INVOLVEMENT IN HARD TACKLES AND COLLISIONS WHERE DOES IT HURT? HEAD/FACE/NECK 24% UPPER LIMB 21% "5% TRUNK LOWER LIMB 48% // OTHER 2% THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF INJURY IS THE DREADED EAU LEG DEATHS 110 YEARS-71 DEATHS THERE HAVE BEEN A TOTAL OF 71 DEATHS RECORDED OVER 110 YEARS IN PROFESSIONAL RUGBY GAMES. THIS IS A REMARKABLY LOW NUMBER FOR WHAT IS REGARDED AS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS COMPETITIVE SPORT REDUCING THE RISK OK, THEY DON'T WEAR MASSIVE PADDING AND HELMETS, BUT RUGBY PLAYERS TAKE SOME PRECAUTIONS. ALL' PLAYERS MUST HAVE EQUIPMENT THAT IS PROPERLY FITTED AND-MAINTAINED. THE USE OF MOUTHGUARDS APPEARS TO LOWER THE RISK OF OROFACIAL INJURY.PADDED HEADGEAR TENDS TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE SCALP AND EARS. SUPPORT SLEEVES TEND TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SPRAINS AND STRAINS. Sources South Wales Osteopathic Society http://osteopathywales.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=106<emid=36 The British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU) http://www.injuryresearch.bc.ca/publications/fact%20sheets/rugby%20fact%20sheet.pdf Precision Claims The Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby Ltd annual injury audit http://www.irbplayerwelfare.com/?documentid=75 http://www.precisionclaims.co.uk