Observational studySports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2026
Contact Role and Tackle Characteristics Shape Head Acceleration Exposure in Male Community Rugby: A Cohort Study Utilising Instrumented Mouthguards.
Observational study in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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9 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundRugby Union has attracted increased scrutiny because of concerns over head acceleration events (HAEs), particularly regarding their frequency, severity and potential long-term health implications. While substantial efforts by governing bodies have focused on reducing head impact risks through education, regulatory changes and the introduction of instrumented mouthguards, limited data exist for the community rugby context, especially across different age grades and playing positions.
objectiveWe aimed to quantify HAE across playing positions, age grades and contact phases in community rugby and to identify match scenarios associated with high-magnitude head loading.
methodsA prospective observational cohort study included 259 male players across U13, U15, U19, and Premier senior men's grades. Players were fitted with instrumented mouthguards, and match play was video recorded for verification. Head acceleration events were identified from instrumented mouthguard-triggered sensor acceleration events > 5 g and coded for match context, player position and contact event characteristics. Statistical models evaluated differences in HAE frequency, incidence rates and head kinematics (peak linear acceleration, peak angular acceleration, rotational velocity change index) across grades, positions and contact scenarios.
resultsA total of 7358 HAEs were verified from 8593 sensor acceleration events across 72 matches. Tackles and rucks accounted for ~ 60% of all HAEs. High tackles significantly increased head loading in ball carriers (peak linear acceleration: + 4.16 g, p = 0.02; peak angular acceleration: + 443 rad/s
conclusionsTackles and rucks are primary sources of HAEs, with risk shaped by posture, tackle height and player role. Lower tackle heights reduce ball carrier load but increase tackler exposure, indicating a potential safety trade-off. Younger players, particularly U13s, were more susceptible to secondary impacts (e.g. head-to-ground), potentially because of limited task-specific experience and underdeveloped control during the tackled phase. Position- and age-specific strategies may be required to optimise safety and reduce HAE risk across all levels of community rugby.
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