Over the last few years, rugby medicine has been somewhat mired with controversy. From ‘Bloodgate’, to concussion, there have been many back-page features in the press, often calling for quite sensationalist measures.

Against this backdrop, and away from the gaze of the press, World Rugby have been busy synthesising an evidence base, and adapting the game to try and maximise player welfare. Such efforts have often flown under the radar, and today on the podcast we hear from its Chief Medical Officer & Senior Scientific Advisor, who address a variety of topics including:

-The process behind the recent law changes

-Trying to optimise the prevention and management of concussion

-Injury prevention

-Trying to build an evidence-informed player welfare initiative

Some resources that you may find useful, and are mentioned in the podcast include:

-World Rugby Medical website http://playerwelfare.worldrugby.org/

-The evidence underpinning the tackle laws

-Risk factors for head injury events in professional rugby union: a video analysis of 464 head injury events to inform proposed injury prevention strategies http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/15/1152

-Injury risk and a tackle ban in youth Rugby Union: reviewing the evidence and searching for targeted, effective interventions. A critical review http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/15/921

-Tackle technique and body position of the tackler and ball carrier significantly influences head injury risk in rugby union http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/11/A70.2

-Berlin Concussion Consensus http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/11/838