title: Tackle-related injury rates and nature of injuries in South African Youth Week tournament rugby union players (under-13 to under-18): an observational cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The tackle situation is most often associated with the high injury rates in rugby union. Tackle injury epidemiology in rugby union has previously been focused on senior cohorts but less is known about younger cohorts. The aim of this study was to report on the nature and rates of tackle-related injuries in South African youth rugby union players representing their provinces at national tournaments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four South African Youth Week tournaments (under-13 Craven Week, under-16 Grant Khomo Week, under-18 Academy Week, under-18 Craven Week).
  
  
  METHODS
  Injury data were collected from 3652 youth rugby union players (population at risk) in 2011 and 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tackle-related injury severity ('time-loss' and 'medical attention'), type and location, injury rate per 1000 h (including 95% CIs). Injury rate ratios (IRR) were calculated and modelled using a Poisson regression. A χ(2) analysis was used to detect linear trends between injuries and increasing match quarters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2012 under-13 Craven Week had a significantly greater 'time-loss' injury rate when compared with the 2012 under-18 Academy Week (IRR=4.43; 95% CI 2.13 to 9.21, p<0.05) and under-18 Craven Week (IRR=3.52; 95% CI 1.54 to 8.00, p<0.05). The Poisson regression also revealed a higher probability of 'overall' ('time-loss' and 'medical attention' combined) and 'time-loss' tackle-related injuries occurring at the under-13 Craven Week. The proportion of 'overall' and 'time-loss' injuries increased significantly with each quarter of the match when all four tournaments were combined (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a difference in the tackle-related injury rate between the under-13 tournament and the two under-18 tournaments, and the tackle-related injury rate was higher in the final quarter of matches. Ongoing injury surveillance is required to better interpret these findings. Injury prevention strategies targeting the tackle may only be effective once the rate and nature of injuries have been accurately determined.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Mike I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.affiliation: South African Rugby Union (SARU), Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Viljoen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: South African Rugby Union (SARU), Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Clint
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Readhead
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sharief
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hendricks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Injury Epidemiology; Rugby Union; Tackle; youth