Lowering the maximum legal tackle height in Scottish community women's rugby: an injury surveillance and video analysis study across two seasons.

Abstract

Objectives: The tackle carries the highest risk of concussion in women's rugby union. To reduce concussion risk, a lowered maximum tackle height (LTH) law, lowering the maximum legal tackle height from the shoulder to below the base of the sternum, was implemented across Scottish community rugby. This study aimed to assess the effect of the LTH on player head-contact events, proximity (location nearest the head (~30 cm)) and concussion incidence in Scottish women's community rugby.

Methods: A retrospective video analysis study, alongside prospective injury data collection, compared differences in game metrics, tackle characteristics and time-loss injury (including concussion) between the pre-LTH (2022/2023) and LTH (2023/2024) seasons.

Results: Head-to-head and head-to-shoulder proximity to the opponent for the tackler (head: rate ratio (RR):0.71 (95% CI 0.62 to 0.82), shoulder: RR:0.73 (95% CI 0.65 to 0.83)), and ball-carrier (head: RR:0.67 (95% CI 0.58 to 0.77), shoulder: RR:0.68 (95% CI 0.58 to 0.79)) were lower in the LTH season. Head contact to the opponent's shoulder decreased for the tackler (RR: 0.65 (95% CI 0.46 to 0.91)) and ball-carrier (RR: 0.52 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.78)). Tackler body position was lower (upright: RR:0.79 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.83), bent at waist: RR:1.34 (95% CI 1.25 to 1.42)), reducing red-zone (above the base of the sternum) contacts (RR:0.81 (95% CI 0.76 to 0.85)). Although non-significant, tackler concussion rates dropped (IR: 2.83 to 0.52/1000 player match hours; RR: 0.18 (95% CI 0.004 to 1.52)), while ball-carrier concussion rates increased (IR: 1.89 to 4.70/1000 player match hours; RR: 2.49 (95%CI 0.69 to 11.06)).

Conclusion: Lowering the maximum tackle height to below the base of the sternum showed a reduction in red-zone contacts, head-to-head proximity and head-to-shoulder contact for the tackler and ball-carrier. There were no significant differences in concussion rates in the present study, and the limitations surrounding the small sample of injuries highlight the need for further research on the effect of injury prevention initiatives in women's rugby.