Rugby players' safety in question as figures show injuries rise by 20%

The International Rugby Board has been urged to take immediate action to help safeguard player safety following the official release of figures showing that the number of injuries sustained in the English Premiership increased by 20% last season, compared with 2007-08. Simon Kemp, the Rugby Football Union's head of sports medicine, has called for the IRB to co-ordinate the collection of similar data from around the world and to identify ways of reducing certain types of injury. Premier Rugby, the body representing England's clubs, believes investment is needed to fund research amid growing concern. "Maybe it's the IRB which has to grasp the nettle and lead from the front on this," Phil Winstanley, PRL's rugby director, said. "If we're serious about this as a game, we need to finance this through the IRB. I think we're pushing against an open door. There's a willingness to do it." The average amount of time that Premiership players are unavailable thanks to a match-related injury has increased to 23 days, 42% up on the previous season. A significant rise in serious knee ligament and hamstring injuries was evident before last summer's new law interpretations at the breakdown, which the medics fear will lead to more shoulder-related problems. "People are flying in like Exocets," said Damian Hopley, the chief executive of the Rugby Players' Association, suggesting that lawmakers needed to keep a close watch on the situation. "If they don't, there won't be anyone left to play the game. The players almost have to be protected from themselves. They'd run through a brick wall if they could." Interestingly, the overall number of injuries sustained in 2008-09 is roughly similar to the 2002-03 figure and the number of players picking up injuries during training sessions has dropped by 19%. Injuries within the senior England squad also fell, although Dr Kemp said this could simply have been down to chance. The respected Lions doctor James Robson suggested in July that players were in danger of growing "too ­muscle-bound and too bulky". Smaller club playing squads this season have added to the strain. The players' union is "massively concerned" about former players in retirement. The former Gloucester full-back Chris Catling, for example, had a hip replacement operation at the age of 29. A working party from all areas of the English game will examine the issue in the coming months and make recommendations to the Professional Game Board on the future shape of the elite game. Hopley, however, does not believe rugby union is awash with players taking illegal drugs in an effort to keep pace with the game's development. "I'd be astonished if a drug culture crept into the game. Culturally and traditionally, rugby is an honest sport."