Injuries in Rugby Union: A Review

Rugby Union is one of the most popular team sports in the world. It is a contact sport that emphasizes possession and control of the ball. By virtue of its full contact nature and lack of protective equipment, Rugby Union is associated with a high incidence of injury relative to many other sports. In fact, Rugby Union carries a significantly higher relative risk of injury than American football, with increase differences in the overall rates of injuries. There are multiple distinct phases of Rugby Union: The Scrum, Tackle, Ruck, Maul and Lineout. Each phase of rugby has its own inherent risk and incidence of injuries which include but not limited to concussions, as well as sprains, strains, and fractures of the upper and lower extremity ligament. The majority of injuries occur either during the scrum and tackling phases of the game. The governing body of Rugby Union is constantly adapting the rules to reduce injuries. Some of these rule changes may have unintended consequences. This article will review the current literature and describe the injuries in each phase of rugby as well as discussing concussion and the effect Covid-19 has had on Rugby Union.