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Funded Projects

Funded Projects - External

Here, you can find details of player welfare research projects awarded funding by World Rugby through the annual funding call.

Accepted 2023

  Status

Classifying painkiller use behaviours in professional rugby union players

Dr Daniel Read, Loughborough University, United Kingdom

Ongoing

Accepted 2022

  Status

Breast injuries and protection in women’s rugby union

Associate Professor Deirdre McGhee, University of Wollongong, Australia

Ongoing

Social and health dimensions of playing high level rugby in Zimbabwe: Experiences from men and women playing in the national league

Dr Manase Chiweshe, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe

Ongoing

WISGYR - Welsh Injury Surveillance in Girls' Youth Rugby

Dr Julian Owen, Bangor University, United Kingdom

Ongoing

Accepted 2021

  Status

Developing Data-Derived Head Impact Reduction Protocols for Women’s Rugby Union

Dr Elisabeth Williams, Swansea University, United Kingdom

Ongoing

No time to waste: moving towards a necessary health support system for retired national level rugby players

Professor Vincent Gouttebarge, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Netherlands

Ongoing

Efficacy of the World Rugby Activate injury prevention programme in the female setting: a multi-centre home nations approach

Dr Debbie Palmer, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Ongoing

Injury prevention in female youth rugby union: a multi-site international study

Professor Carolyn Emery, University of Calgary, Canada

Ongoing

Hang up your cleats and hope for the best? A cross-sectional study investigating retired elite female rugby players’ health

Dr Jane Thornton, Western University, Canada

Complete

Accepted 2020

  Status

Kumanu Tāngata - The Aftermatch Project

Dr Ken Quarrie, New Zealand Rugby, New Zealand

Ongoing

Accepted 2019

  Status

Concussion Prevention Practices Among Adolescent Rugby Players in Public Secondary Schools in Nairobi, Nakuru and Kakamega Counties in Kenya

Dr Elijah Gitonga Rintaugu, Kenyatta University, Kenya

Complete

Accepted 2018

  Status

A community rugby concussion management strategy

Dr Danielle Salmon, New Zealand Rugby, New Zealand Rugby

Complete

Professional rugby union players' perceived psychological recovery and physical regeneration during the off-season

Dr Stephen Mellalieu, Cardiff Metropolitan University, United Kingdom

Complete

Evaluation of a tackle law trial to reduce head impacts in community rugby

Dr James Brown, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Complete

Accepted 2017

  Status

The incidence and impact of non-time-loss and time-loss injury in adolescent community level Australian Rugby

Dr John Sampson, University of Wollongong, Australia

Complete

Community rugby injury and illness surveillance at Stellenbosch University

Dr James Brown, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Complete

Accepted 2016

  Status

Match collision characteristics and exposures across world rugby union

Dr Ben Jones, Leeds Beckett University, United Kingdom

Complete

The Influence of Footwear Traction on Biomechanical Injury Risk in Rugby

Dr Bill Wannop, University of Calgary, Canada

Complete

Accepted 2015

  Status

Symptoms of common mental disorders among professional Rugby Union players: an international prospective cohort study.

Dr Vincent Gouttebarge, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Netherlands

Complete

Blood biomarkers for the management of concussion in professional Rugby Players

Dr Vincent Sapin, University Hospital and School of Medicine Clermont-Ferrand, France

Complete

Accepted 2014

  Status

Application of a dynamic postural control performance test in the assessment of concussion and return to play in elite professional Rugby Union players.

Dr Garrett Coughlan, Irish Rugby Football Union, Ireland

Complete

The impact of concussion on subsequent injury risk in Rugby Union

Dr Isabel Moore, Cardiff Metropolitan University, United Kingdom

Complete