World Rugby welcomes the outcomes of the PRISP report (English Rugby’s annual injury audit) and the associated action plan calling for the height of the tackle to be changed. This call reinforces World Rugby’s evidence-based move in January 2017 to lower the tackle height using increased on and off field sanctions.

In late 2016, an international multidisciplinary group consisting of coaches, players, unions, match officials, researchers and administrators met to consider a strategic plan to reduce head injuries in the game. The meeting was supported by research that included analysis of over 600 video Head Injury Assessment (HIA) incidents.

This research confirmed that 76 per cent of HIA incidents occur in the tackle, with the tackler at greatest risk, experiencing 72 per cent of these tackle injuries. The research also confirmed that the risk of head injury to the tackler was 4.3 times greater if the contact was high (eg head to head or head to shoulder), even during legal tackles, and 1.4 times greater if the tackler was not bent at the waist at the moment of tackle impact, demonstrating the importance of correct tackle technique.

Targeting protection of the tackler, the multidisciplinary group considered a range of possible approaches, including lowering the height of a legal tackle in law, but identified increased sanctions as the most immediate and effective way to impact on tackle height and tackler body position. The objective of increased sanctions was to change behaviour of the tackler (the most ‘at risk’ player for head injury) by encouraging bending at the waist and lowering the height of the tackle.

The success of an increased sanction focus is reliant upon sanction compliance across all tournaments, and World Rugby has been monitoring the sanction levels within the elite game comparing 2016 (pre-implementation period) to 2017 (post implementation period).

Recently completed monitoring analysis confirms the strength of the approach and reinforces the importance of sanction severity frequency (cards) in changing behaviour. Penalty sanctions for high tackles were increased by 64 per cent worldwide in 2017 compared to 2016. High tackle yellow cards increased by an average of 41 per cent globally after the directive, but with noted variation between tournaments, including a 36 percent decrease in yellow cards issued for high tackles in the Aviva Premiership.

This trend in England requires further investigation, as recommended within the PRISP report, and World Rugby welcomes the invitation from the PRISP group to work collaboratively and investigate the relationship between non-compliance of the high tackle directive and concussion rates within their game.

World Rugby also acknowledges that reducing head injuries in the game is a complex and difficult goal, but remains committed to monitoring, reviewing and enhancing strategies that will assist in achieving this goal. Working in collaboration with unions, World Rugby has used the data to consider further developments, including a closed law trial of a lowered tackle height (to be confirmed shortly).

The strategy to reduce head contact is not only being addressed through increased sanctions but is also being combined with an evidence-based approach to tackle technique best practice. Collaboration between elite defence coaches and World Rugby at a dedicated workshop in November 2017 has identified key actions and focus areas, which World Rugby is currently exploring. At community level, World Rugby is rolling-out the Active8 warm-up programme, which research demonstrates may reduce the risk of concussion by up to 60 per cent.

A reduction in head injuries in the sport is the top priority for World Rugby and we are committed to further research, change and monitoring to achieve this goal.