{
  "abstract": "Objective Within women’s rugby league (n=12 teams), we (1) identified modifiers for head-to-head contacts informed by sport partners (eg, players, coaches, match officials); (2) compared head-to-head contact and concussion rates to the previous two seasons following a one-season tackle technique coaching intervention and (3) explored barriers and enablers of the intervention.Methods A multi-method design was used. Part 1: Mitigation strategies were identified by sport partners reviewing footage of head-to-head contacts, informing the development of a coach-targeted tackle technique intervention. Part 2 evaluated the intervention, comparing head-to-head contact and concussion incidence rates (IRs). Interviews with coaches and players (n=6) explored barriers and enablers to effective implementation and compliance with the intervention.Results Sport partners reported tacklers were more responsible for head-to-head contacts and lowering the tackle height was the most frequently suggested mitigation strategy preintervention and postintervention. Head-to-head contact rates were significantly lower during the intervention than preintervention (IR 59; 95% CI 56 to 62 vs IR 28; 95% CI 25 to 30/1000 tackle events); however, concussion rates showed no difference. Perceived barriers to the intervention included underdeveloped physical and technical foundations of players, lack of knowledge and understanding of the intervention and its purpose, and the environmental context and lack of resources in women’s rugby league. Beliefs about the consequences of the tackle and concussion were perceived as barriers and enablers.Conclusions Head-to-head contact rates were significantly lower; however, concussion rates did not decrease following a tackle technique coaching intervention. Reduced head-to-head contacts are potentially due to an increased focus on head injury reduction and increased player/coach awareness and support.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club, Leeds, UK",
        "Rugby Football League, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Mily Spiegelhalter"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "Rugby Football League, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Sean Scantlebury"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "Rugby Football Union, Twickenham, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Omar Heyward"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "Rugby Football League, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Cameron Owen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine (ISEM) Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa",
        "Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa"
      ],
      "name": "James Brown"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa"
      ],
      "name": "Sharief Hendricks"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Susan H Backhouse"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Marelise Badenhorst"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Rugby Football League, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Stuart Barrow"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Lucy Jane Chesson"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Rugby Football League, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Laura Fairbank"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Andrew J Gardner"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Rugby Football League, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Robert Hicks"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia",
        "Sports Performance, Recovery, Injury and New Technologies (SPRINT) Research Centre, Australian Catholic University, Brisbance, QLD, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Richard Johnston"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Peter Mackreth"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "Rugby Football League, Manchester, UK",
        "Uno-X Mobility Pro Cycling Team, Oslo, Norway"
      ],
      "name": "Gemma Phillips"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Rugby Football League, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Dave Rotheram"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Anna Stodter"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Rugby Football Union, Twickenham, UK",
        "Centre for Health and Injury and Illness Prevention in Sport, University of Bath, Bath, UK",
        "UK Collaborating Centre on Injury and Illness Prevention in Sport (UKCCIIS), University of Bath, Bath, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Keith A Stokes"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club, Leeds, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Kevin Till"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Rugby Football League, Manchester, UK",
        "School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Dane Vishnubala"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK",
        "Rugby Football League, Manchester, UK",
        "Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa",
        "School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia",
        "Premiership Rugby, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Ben Jones"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Reduced head-to-head contact rates in elite-level women’s rugby league following a season-long tackle technique coaching intervention",
  "uid": "3e216555-cdb9-5c00-99f4-620c0a1d46a2"
}