Safety Links

Suspected Concussion and Serious Injury

Education and Training

It is a requirement that all referees, mentors, evaluators and coaches complete the IRFU Concussion Education Module For Referees each season.

To access the module:

• Log in to Gainline using this link – here.
• Select Referee Development Resource in My Courses.
• Select Content.
• Select the IRFU Concussion Education Module For Referees in the left-hand column.

Reporting

When a player leaves the field of play with a suspected concussion or a serious injury, the referee must submit a report to the Leinster Branch.

Referees must report:

• Any incidents known to the referee when a player was removed from the field of play due to a suspected/confirmed concussion, either by the referee, the team medics or team management.
• When a serious injury takes place that required a player to be assisted from the field of play and an ambulance was required.

Recognise and Remove incidents must be reported through the ‘Game Incident’ option in the Game Management section of the SportLomo App. A short video tutorial on how to use this feature is available here.

The role of the referee in this process is to know the signs and symptoms of concussion, ensure players exhibiting those signs and symptoms are removed from the field of play, and report any incidents. Any queries thereafter will be handled by the designated personnel in the IRFU Medical Department or Provincial Branch Office.

Should you have any queries please get in touch with the Referee Development Manager in your province.

Useful Resources

• IRFU Laws and Concussion Website – here.
• World Rugby Laws of the Game – here.
• World Rugby Player Welfare Website – here.