Doctors and physiotherapists working in professional Rugby in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific will gather at Bond University this weekend for an international training course conducted by the International Rugby Board (IRB), aimed at improving standards of pitch side injury management.
The training, conducted by the International Rugby Board (IRB), aims to raise the standards of on-field medical attention given to players.
24 medical professionals will attend the course – including 18 doctors and physiotherapists from Australian Rugby representing the Qantas Wallabies, Super Rugby franchises, Sevens and Wallaroos; and six participants from New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tonga. A number of academics from Bond University will also attend.
The course will ensure participants have a consistent way of dealing with all pitch-side injuries resulting from severe trauma, including: fractures; cardiac and respiratory injuries; head and neck injuries, including concussion; and common musculoskeletal injuries.
Bond University’s Professor of Physiotherapy, Dr Wayne Hing, said a coordinated approach to medical training should ensure greater consistency with on-field attention provided to players.
While the training will be conducted by the IRB, the course is part of a collaborative partnership between Bond University and Australian Rugby Union.
“Through the existing relationship between Bond University and Australian Rugby Union, we hope to deliver this opportunity which we feel might be relevant not only to Rugby Union, but across other sporting organizations in Australia such as the AFL, NRL and FFA,” Dr Hing said.
This is the first time the IRB Immediate Care in Rugby course has been provided in Australia and will bring together medical staff from national and state teams, in addition to Rugby staff from the Pacific. The course will provide a great opportunity for participants to learn from a variety of experienced practitioners.
It follows the successful implementation of similar training in other countries, including England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Following the two-day Rugby Pitchside Education Course, a number of attendees will take part in a three day ‘train the trainer’ course, to ensure other doctors and physiotherapists who won’t be attending the training session can be trained so they can operate in a way that is consistent with IRB standards.