"Playing catch-up" Safety and Optimal tackle outcomes in Women's Rugby Union.

Abstract

The frequency and impact of tackle injuries in Rugby have prompted calls to mitigate the associated risks within the Sport. Although women's Rugby is considered one of the fastest growing sports worldwide, research has not kept pace. Women's Rugby players feature in less than 4% of tackle literature, leaving coaches and practitioners assuming that tackle research in men can be generalised to women. In the burgeoning performance context of Women's Rugby, androcentric frameworks may be misaligned with the specific preparation needs of women players. There is a knowledge gap concerning evidence-based practice for tackle safety and performance in Women's Rugby. In response to this knowledge gap, the overarching aim of the thesis was to explore the safety and optimal tackle outcomes in Women's Rugby. The evidence-based medicine (EBM) model was used as a guiding framework to employ multiple methods, integrating player values, and coaching expertise with empirical and systematic approaches. As a physiotherapist and international Rugby player, a pragmatic approach was employed to capture the breadth and depth of this overlooked area in a balanced, meaningful way to craft context-specific solutions. An emergent design was adopted, allowing research questions and data collection methods to evolve in real-time, based on emerging knowledge. First, a scoping review was conducted investigating the physical, technical demands and preparatory strategies in female field collision sports. Then, a qualitative grounded theory approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews to explore women Rugby players' experiences of tackle coaching and tackle injuries. In response to player experiences, Women's Rugby coaches from any level of competition were invited to participate in an online survey. Coaches were asked about their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding tackle training. Finally, through video analysis, a random subset of 1500 tackle events was coded and analysed to understand the technical characteristics of tackling in Elite Women's Rugby. The scoping review confirmed the lack of direct research evidence to inform evidence-based practice regarding tackle preparation in Women's Rugby. After establishing sex-differences in match demands, caution was advised against the generalisation of androcentric training data to women. Players' experiences of tackling in Rugby engendered considerable stress and fears of injury. Women's experiences of tackle skill learning were largely accompanied by reactions of low self-efficacy, and judgements of androcentric coaching norms, limited coaching input, and 'the bare minimum' preparation akin to 'being thrown in the deep end'. Empowering experiences came from graduated, progressive tackle coaching that encouraged player input and accommodated the diverse training needs of women, affording additional time to help them 'understand the `why?''. Cultural codes of normalising and trivialising often severe tackle injuries as 'knocks and bangs' prevailed. These experiences curtailed women's opportunity to disclose injuries and deviate from expected behaviour of 'being a body on the line'.Player's conformity to risk-taking behaviours and weary acceptance of 'the bare minimum' could be traced back to their unfaltering 'love of the game' and desire to claim space in Rugby. This unfolded against a backdrop of gender norms, homophobia and inequitable playing conditions. Beyond players, coaches and match officials, there are other dimensions (e.g., club environments, media, and wider society) that should be considered when implementing tackle safety and performance strategies in Women's Rugby. In the global survey, while coaches demonstrated a keen awareness of injury risks and prioritisation of tackle safety, they exhibited disparities between intention and practice. Corroborating the player's experiences, variability was observed in the duration and types of contact activities prescribed by coaches. Additionally, coaches disclosed barriers to effective tackle training, categorised into four themes: sociocultural factors, coach knowledge gaps, training environments, and player training considerations. This provided yet more evidence of the multifaceted challenges faced in the pursuit of contact preparation in Women's Rugby. Building on the recurring theme of multifaceted challenges in tackle preparation, examination of match footage from elite Women's Rugby revealed heterogeneity in the tackle techniques demonstrated, with low overall completion of recommended techniques. Half of tackles exhibited incorrect head positioning and placement, with an average of 14 head and neck contacts to tacklers and 18 to ball-carriers per game. Seven out of the 22 coded recommended techniques demonstrated a significant association with superior tackle performance, offering both support for and opportunity to refine existing tackle safety programmes. This thesis indicates that there is room for improvement in ensuring Women's Rugby players are not only sufficiently prepared for safe and enjoyable sport participation but also adequately represented in research, practice, and policy. Some of the thesis findings have been presented to key stakeholders at International and World Rugby research conferences and have helped governing bodies to inform policy, practices and research priorities in Women's Rugby. The challenge for coaches, practitioners and policymakers is to work collectively, moving beyond the status quo and applying `one-size-fits-all' solutions towards context-specific strategies that address the multifaceted challenges faced in Women's Rugby.