A recent (May 2017) Bath University study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, shows the dramatic effect of a newly-devised simple exercise programme in reducing overall injuries for youth rugby.
For the study, which involved 40 schools and nearly 2,500 players aged 14 – 18, the researchers found that overall injuries fell by 72% when players completed the new exercises at least three times a week. Concussion injuries were reduced by 59%.
Whilst this study was conducted in the rugby union and youth arenas, it is likely that its findings would be applicable to all levels of rugby of either code. The Romans club has contacted Bath University for clarification.
The Bath University article on the subject, which includes a short video of the exercise programme, can be found here: University of Bath research article