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Return to play rugby

This advice is meant to guide you back to rugby quickly and more importantly safely with less risk of re-injury. If you have any questions or are unable to return to sport you should discuss your injury with a Physiotherapist. You can contact the NHS Physiotherapy service on 01792 487453. 

Follow each of the stages below in order, do not move on until you can manage all the tasks in that stage without pain or swelling for 24 hours afterwards. You will complete some stages faster than others, this is normal.

STAGE 1 – PAIN-FREE

full pain-free movement in the injured joint / muscle

No pain or swelling after normal daily activities (e.g. dressing, walking, stairs etc.)

 

STAGE 2 – BASIC FUNCTION

Lower limb injury

Upper limb injury

Balance on 1 leg for 20 seconds

1 full range pull-up

Hop on 1 leg 10 times

1 full range bodyweight dip

 

STAGE 3 – BASIC FITNESS

Jogging          Backs should be able to jog 5km pain free   

                        Forwards should be able to jog 3km pain-free

Sprinting                                complete both drills:         

(1)   20m walk, lie on your front, 20m run, lie on your back, 20m sprint. Be able to repeat this drill at full speed at least 10 times

for example:    walk from the dead ball line to goal line, down & up,   

                       run to 22m line, down & up, sprint to 10m line. Rest                              and then repeat

 

(2) Players should be able to complete the 1200m shuttle / Broncho test

STAGE 3 – BASIC FITNESS continued

Strength      back to a minimum 75% of your pre-injury weightlifting                       for squat, deadlift, shoulder press, bench press                                      e.g. if you could deadlift 160kg before, you should be back to at                                        least 120kg

Agility and Confidence

Complete 5 falling press-ups from the knees

 

STAGE 4 – AGILITY & NON-CONTACT TRAINING

Complete a full non-contact training session, discuss this with your coach. Avoid tackling, being tackled, contested scrums, contested mauls and contested rucks.  You can try using tackle bags, run, change direction, covering a loose ball, pass and lineouts

Strength   Back to a minimum 85% your pre-injury weightlifting for                     squat, deadlift, shoulder press, bench press                            

e.g. if you could deadlift 160kg before, you should be back to at least 135kg

Agility and confidence – complete all 3

(1)    1 falling press-up from standing

(2)    A star balance test in the press-up position (See video)

(3)    A triple hop test both sides – there should be less than 5% difference e.g. if you can cover 500cm on one leg, you should cover at least 475cm on the other leg

 

STAGE 5 - CONTACT TRAINING

Rugby Training         complete 2 full contact training sessions

Sprinting             repeat drill (1) from stage 3 at full speed at least                                   20 times

                             rest no more than 2 minutes after 10 repetitions                                   if needed

 

STAGE 6 – RETURN TO RUGBY

Once you have completed all the above stages and tests you should be ready to play matches

Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau ffôn yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg. Atebir gohebiaeth Gymraeg yn y Gymraeg, ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at oedi. Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg drwy bwyso’r botwm ar y dde ar frig y dudalen.

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