The World Rugby Research Unit coordinates all player welfare research projects conducted by World Rugby. The Unit’s role in managing research projects extends to developing project plans for ethics approval, collecting and analysing data, and sharing study findings. The unit will also monitor progress and consider findings from funded projects conducted on behalf of World Rugby.

Through its role in managing the progress of player welfare projects, the Research Unit plays an important role in World Rugby’s player welfare research strategy.

Group members currently include:

• Éanna Falvey, Chief Medical Officer
• Martin Raftery, Deputy Chief Medical Officer
• Ross Tucker, Science and Research Consultant
• Lindsay Starling, Science and Medical Manager
• Ben Hester, Player Welfare Analyst
• Mike Hislop, Injury Prevention and Surveillance Researcher
• Neale Lees, Turf, & Equipment Manager
• James Brown, Research Consultant 
• Dee Keating, Player Welfare and Rugby Services Project Manager
• Danielle Salmon, Concussion Research Coordinator
• Ed Lodge, SCRM Application and Database Coordinator