ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the incidence, severity, nature and causes of match injuries sustained at the senior men's international level of play in both Rugby-15s and Rugby-7s. The results presented are based on epidemiological studies carried out on behalf of World Rugby at the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups and the 2008 to 2014 Sevens World Series. As for many sports, published epidemiological data for Rugby have been blighted over the years by variations in injury and exposure definitions and data collection and reporting methodologies. The mean severity of all injuries sustained by all players in Rugby-15s is 19.1 days: the difference in the severity of injuries sustained by forwards and backs is small. World Rugby has focused on the risk of concussion injuries in Rugby. For this type of injury, World Rugby has invested in improving the on-pitch identification of concussion, and the post-match management and return-to-play criteria for concussed players.
