Stephen D. Mellalieu

This study examined how elite women’s rugby union players perceived their off-season recovery experiences. An exploratory cross-sectional survey was completed by 140 elite women’s rugby union players (M age = 25.80, SD = 4.16) that captured global perceived readiness to train, recovery strategies, contextual demands, and preferred off-season structure. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, while responses to open-ended questions were explored using reflexive thematic analysis. Players reported a range of sport- and non-sport related demands during the off-season, including injury management, physical preparation, financial pressures, education and professional development, and external employment. Players reported a preferred off-season duration of 5.19 weeks on average (range 4–10 weeks), incorporating three broad components: a complete break from rugby, remote or personal training, and reintegration into the rugby environment. Overall, the findings indicate that elite women’s perceptions of off-season recovery reflect both rugby-related demands and wider occupational, educational and personal circumstances. The findings provide athlete-informed considerations for the design of off-season structures and identify areas for future prospective research.

To address the gender imbalance in rugby union research by exploring barriers and facilitators to injury surveillance participation among female community players, thereby providing insight into how psychological needs shape engagement. This study examines how knowledge of injury surveillance and practical barriers influence engagement with injury surveillance systems in women's community rugby. Cross‐sectional. An online survey was completed by 242 women's community rugby union players (age: 29 ± 9 years; experience: 7.1 ± 5.2 years) from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The questionnaire covered demographics, rugby environment, injury surveillance knowledge, and motivation to play rugby (adapted SMS‐II). Barriers and facilitators were rated on a 7‐point Likert scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis tests, regression models and chi‐square tests (SPSS v29; p < 0.05). Coach presence was high (> 94%), but medical support was limited (26% training; 49% matches). Women's community rugby was perceived as the lowest priority for NGBs. Earlier rugby initiation predicted greater experience ( p = 0.002) and higher likelihood of injury surveillance collection (OR = 1.23 per year; p = 0.012). Perceived lack of expertise reduced engagement ( p = 0.024). Intrinsic motivation negatively predicted playing experience ( p = 0.048), whereas agreement with ‘I just want to play rugby’ was associated with lower surveillance participation ( p = 0.013). Engagement with injury surveillance is shaped by motivation, experience and structural support. Athlete‐centred strategies, such as inclusive policy, tailored education and female‐specific data systems, are essential to improve player welfare and advance evidence‐based practice in women's rugby union.

Objective: This review aimed to establish the contributors to negative biopsychosocial outcomes in rugby, defined as unexpected adverse changes in players’ physical, psychological, social or health status. Design: Systematic review. Data sources: PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus and CINAHL. Eligibility criteria: Studies were eligible if they investigated a physical, psychological or social factor which results in a negative biopsychosocial outcome in men’s or women’s rugby union, league or sevens. Studies were excluded if they did not differentiate outcome measures between rugby and other sports or did not differentiate outcome measures (ie, positive or negative) between physical/psychological/social factors and other factors. Results: 9165 studies were identified in the initial search and two studies were identified from reference lists, 151 of which met the inclusion criteria (104 rugby union, 46 rugby league, 6 rugby sevens; 141 men, 16 women; 37 youth populations). 29 contributor groups and eight negative biopsychosocial outcome groups were identified. Previous injury (n=26), physical characteristics (n=32), training and match load (n=30) and factors within the contact event (n=22) were the most identified contributor groups. The negative biopsychosocial outcome of injury was investigated by 84% of studies. Conclusion: Overall, the systematic review summarises the contributors to negative biopsychosocial outcomes within the current evidence base. There is a focus on previous injury, physical characteristics, training and match load and factors within the contact event as contributors to negative biopsychosocial outcomes. Eight studies investigated women’s cohorts independently from men; this underrepresentation within the literature could lead to the potential omittance of women-specific contributors. Prospero registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42022346751

Voluntary informed consent is key when undertaking research with an opt-in rather than opt-out system in place and is typically required to legally comply with data protection and processing regulations (eg, General Data Protection Regulation in Europe).5 This can pose challenges to sports injury epidemiology where data may be recorded for internal medical purposes, but not all data can and or should be used for research purposes. Consent can be obtained in different ways, such as consent for sharing data for research purposes when athletes sign contracts with a club or project-specific consent whereby the research team seek consent directly from athletes. It is likely that sports injury epidemiology studies use different methods based on country-specific data laws, how data are collected and the partnerships in place conducting the research. Regardless, published sports injury epidemiology research states consent was obtained from athletes (eg,6 7); however, many studies do not report the proportion of consent within the cohort. For example, in a squad of 50 athletes, how many will provide voluntary informed consent? When an athlete does not grant consent, their injuries will not be included in the numerator part of injury incidence (eg, number of injuries in a squad during a season). However, understanding how many of the cohort provide consent is important for calculating the denominator (exposure) in time-based injury incidence.

What happens when we work with a client whose implicit philosophy is different from ours? To what extent can we borrow from alternative paradigms while staying congruent? This case study illustrates how a trainee practitioner grappled with these questions through the process of supporting an elite female athlete in the run-up to a major international event. The athlete in question was returning from a significant injury and attempting to qualify for, and perform at, a major international event while knowing she would retire thereafter. This paper illustrates how the practitioner attempted to find congruence between their preferred approach (existential and client-led) and the client’s preferences (skills training and practitioner-led). The intervention consisted of a combination of psychological skills training (imagery and goal setting) and conversations amounting to “existential encounters,” with more emphasis on the latter as the event approached. Attention is given to the process of combining these approaches, as well as the practitioner’s reflections on effectiveness and transference.

Assessment of player’s postural control following a lower limb injury is of interest to sports medicine practitioners due to its fundamental role in daily tasks and sporting activities. The aim was to longitudinally monitor professional rugby union players’ postural control during each phase of the rehabilitation program (acute, middle, and late) following a lower limb injury. Seven male rugby union players (height 1.80 [0.02] m; mass 100.3 [11.4] kg; age 24 [4] y) sustained a time loss, noncontact lower limb injury. Static postural control was assessed via sway path (in meters), and dynamic postural control was assessed via vertical postural stability index. Group differences (P < .05) were reported across the acute, middle, and late phase. Smaller magnitudes of sway path were observed for eyes-open sway path, and for the middle and late phase smaller magnitudes of vertical postural stability index (P < .05) at the end session compared with first session. Whereas larger magnitudes of vertical postural stability index were found between baseline and the last session (P < .05). Large interindividual and intraindividual variation was apparent across the 3 phases of rehabilitation. Postural control improvements were identified during rehabilitation. However, postural control did not return to baseline, with altered kinetics throughout each rehabilitation phase.

We explored male professional rugby union players’ experiences and perceptions of their mental and physical health and well-being across the northern hemisphere off-season. 34 professional male rugby union players participated in individual semistructured interviews (mean (SD) age=27.5 (4.3) years). Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The off-season was characterised by three phases players undergo to preserve their mental and physical health and well-being to recover from the previous season and regenerate in preparation for the upcoming season. These included decompression from previous season, cognitive detachment from the rugby environment and preparation for preseason. Successful progression through all three phases was influenced by several variables (work and life demands, contextual factors, experience level). Recovery and regeneration strategies focused on physical distancing/getting away from the rugby environment to cognitively detach. Injured players appear an at-risk subgroup for threats to mental well-being (isolation, anxiety, reduced sense of achievement) as a result of reduced or minimal time away from the workplace due to treatment obligations. Younger professionals are a subgroup at risk of overtraining/injury due to inadequate rest, especially as this group are least likely to seek support/guidance. This study is the first investigation into male professional rugby union players’ experiences and perceptions of their mental and physical health and well-being across the off-season period. It highlights the distinct phases players undertake to mentally recover and regenerate and the need to consider education and support for potential at risk subgroups.