Injury Incidence and Severity Rates in Male Professional Rugby-15's: A Systematic Review

Objectives: This systematic review aimed to identify the injury and severity rates of injuries experienced by male professional rugby-15 players. Method: A systematic review was conducted utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. Studies were included if published within the past 10 years (2013-present), were peer-reviewed, provided injury incidence rate during matches or training, and focused on male, professional, Rugby-15 players. The review was preregistered in PROSPERO before starting the search process (CRD42023471046). Four electronic databases (PubMed Central, Embase, CINAHL Complete, and SPORTDiscus) were searched. The modified Downs and Black scale was used for each article to assess the risk of bias. Results: Forwards were estimated to experience injuries at a rate of 5.7-106.4/1,000 player-hours, whereas backs were estimated at a rate of 8.6-86.8/1,000 player-hours. Muscles/tendons (1.38-46.6/1,000 player-hours) and joints/ligaments (1.49-54.5/1,000 player-hours) were most frequently affected. The knee (11.1-14.6/1,000 player-hours) and head/face (11.2-18.3/1,000 player-hours) were the most injured body regions, with recurrent injuries resulting in more time lost than new injuries (28-51 days vs. 22-35 days). Conclusions: The existing literature demonstrates heterogeneous injury incidence and severity estimates for male professional rugby-15 players. Data suggests an increased injury incidence rate among forwards compared with backs and for match play versus training, with recurrent injuries increasing the burden on athletes.