Research undertaken by Dr Keith Stokes and Dr Grant Trewartha from the Department of Health has contributed to a major report into rugby injury.
The England Professional Rugby Injury Surveillance Project is the most comprehensive and longest-running injury surveillance study in elite rugby covering both Premiership and England internationals and training as well as games.
The study revealed that during the 2011-12 season there were fewer match injuries than in the previous season, although this was offset by an increase in the average number of days that each injury kept players out of the game. The most common injury was concussion and this is a major focus for the current 2012-13 season.