Tackle safety in rugby : what guidance exists? A qualitative document analysis of publicly available guidelines amongst national and international rugby organisations

Abstract

OBJECTIVES : To conduct a qualitative document and content analysis of publicly available tackle safety guidance amongst national and international rugby organisations, across both Rugby Union and Rugby League, in order to determine the number, type, and focus of current tackle safety guidance. DESIGN : Qualitative document and content analysis. METHODS : Tackle safety guidance was identified through (1) a structured online search via Google using targeted search terms and synonyms, and (2) a comprehensive manual search of national and international rugby organisation websites, at all levels of competition, conducted between September 2024 and January 2025. Resources, including documents, videos, e-learning modules, and other relevant materials, were included if they addressed tackle safety in rugby. Qualitative content analysis of each resource was performed, organising the information into themes and subthemes. RESULTS : A total of 123 documents were identified from 18 rugby organisations' websites. Portable Document Formats (PDFs) (n = 55) and webpages (n = 51) were the most common type of resources followed by infographics (n = 9) and eLearning (n = 8). Four themes emerged based on the content of the documents; these were tackle safety laws (35 %), tackle preparation (33 %), concussion specific guidance (20 %), and protective equipment (13 %). CONCLUSIONS : Whilst substantial efforts have been made in tackle safety resource development, few have been rigorously evaluated, and there is variation in the number, type, focus and implementation. Future tackle safety efforts should address key areas such as law variations, contact training loads, return-to-contact protocols, and education, with a particular focus on evaluations for underserved groups. Ongoing research and collaboration between knowledge creators and users are essential to optimise tackle safety for all.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS • There is significant variation in the number, type, and focus of tackle safety resources available across different rugby organisations. • Many existing tackle safety strategies lack rigorous evaluation of both their adoption and effectiveness in reducing tackle-related injury risks across various levels of rugby participation, particularly in youth and women's rugby. • Future tackle safety guidance could adopt a simplified, “less is more” approach, prioritising the development, implementation, and evaluation of targeted areas such as law variations, contact training loads, and return-to-contact protocols, with a focus on enhancing educational delivery to cater for diverse audiences.